


That Familiar Feeling

by iL0Vsuperman



Series: Building a Superfamily [2]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: After Movie, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Time, Friendship/Love, Hydra (Marvel), Kid Fic, Kid Peter Parker, M/M, Parent Steve Rogers, Peter is obsessed with ice cream, Protective Avengers, Protective Steve Rogers, Relationship(s), SHIELD, Sexual Content, Stony - Freeform, Stucky - Freeform, Superfamily, Superfamily (Marvel), Superhusbands, Superhusbands (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-02-14 08:16:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 33,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2184456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iL0Vsuperman/pseuds/iL0Vsuperman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the wake of the Winter Soldier-Hydra fiasco, Steve’s life has been turned upside-down.<br/>The cause of this upheaval? The discovery of his son, a creation of Hydra.<br/>At two-years-old, Peter was ten-times stronger than an adult male; Hydra had infused him with gamma-radiated DNA and it could kill him at any moment; and, to top it all off, Steve had not found a real home yet and they were living out of hotels.<br/>When Tony told him they could live with him and the other Avengers in the Tower Steve was absolutely relieved.  </p><p>Yet life is never simple. </p><p>Peter’s mother was dead but she had family and they could fight for custody of his son.<br/>Super villains seemed to be seeping out of the woodwork. There are new enemies but also the frightening familiar old enemies demanding the Avengers attention.<br/>And during all this, Steve begins to feel something abnormal toward Tony. A familiar feeling he had felt toward Bucky…An attraction that went beyond friendship.<br/>He had smothered the feeling once before and he plans to do it again…except Tony is making it very hard to do, especially when he dotes on Peter just as much as Steve does…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a Part 1 to this story, I go over the basics of what happened in the content of Part 2. 
> 
> If you want to know what happened but you don't want to read Part 1, here's the super summarized, SPOILERS version:  
> ~~Takes place a few months after the events of Captain America 2, Steve is depressed. He's called into SHIELD and thinks it's for a mission but it is actually so Agent Hill can sit him down to tell him when he was frozen the Hydra agents in SHIELD took part in his extraction from the ice. Hydra tried to recreate a super soldier and with Steve's sperm is able to impregnate several women, in the end, only one baby survives. The boy is without a doubt Steve's son and Hydra doused him with gamma-radiated spider DNA to make him stronger than Steve. Agent Hill asks Steve if he wants to see him to which Steve says yes. When he sees his son, he instantly is smitten... and that's the foundation for Building a Superfamily series!~~
> 
> Enjoy Part 2!

“Papa, I wanna tauch!” Steve’s son pulled on his baseball cap with one hand and reached out eagerly with the other to one of the many bushes that lined the trails to Central Park.

Peter was small boy for his age and sat in his arms weighing barely over twenty pounds. The doctors had already told Steve he needed to add another ten pounds on his boy but it was a hard endeavor since Peter seemed to have inherited his fast metabolism.

Peter had thick dark brown hair and inherited Steve’s sky blue eyes. It was warm out so Steve dressed him lightly in the clothes he had just bought him days prior. The little boy spouted a Captain America shield on his shirt which his father took pride in whenever he looked at his son. It was the closest thing Steve had to labeling Peter as his own other than their shared genetics.

“No problem, Petey,” Steve murmured warmly upon his son's request and knelt down next to the foliage. The leaves were green and lush. It was a nice, warm, summer day and Steve thought it was the perfect day to introduce his son to the outside world.

Peter let go of his baseball hat and knocked his sunglasses as he reached out to the bushes with both hands. Steve quickly readjusted his glasses to keep his face hidden. When he first was unfrozen, no one recognized him. After the attack on New York, the Smithsonian opening an exhibit on him, and the scandal he and Natasha were involved in, releasing SHIELD’s database on the World Wide Web, everyone recognized him. He did not mind when everyday people approached him to talk or ask for his autograph or a picture but the paparazzi were vicious. No one knew about Peter just yet and he wanted to keep it that way as long as he could.

As Peter pulled at the leaves, Bruce immediately knelt beside Steve and watched the toddler’s every move. He too was dressed similarly to Steve but he wore shaded prescription glasses and had his thick, unruly hair tucked away in a beanie. He lift his notepad and asked Peter, “Is there a reason you wanted to look at this particular plant, Spidey? Was it the bugs maybe? Or other spiders perhaps?”

“Dr. Banner!” Steve gasped and drew his son away from the scientist. He hissed, “I know you are assigned to watch over Peter but those questions are ridiculous! This is the first time he’s been outside! Of course he would be curious about everything! And stop calling him Spidey! He’s Peter now, right Peter?”

“Peta!” Peter replied enthusiastically and Steve was instantly smitten. Steve smiled at his son and enclosed him in a tight hug. Peter hugged him back and giggled as he did.

“Sorry, Captain,” Bruce said somewhat morosely. “I’m just excited…He’s the only other human to survive gamma-radiation like me. There’s so much I can learn from him!”

Steve released Peter from his embrace and let the boy reach out to the bush again. The toddler enthusiastically played with the leaves and was absolutely enthralled.

“I understand,” Steve whispered to Bruce. “But you have to understand I just learned of Peter’s existence and I am trying to make a new life with him…”

Steve had just recently found out when he had been first removed from the ice Hydra agents had taken the same samples SHIELD took from him. They did numerous experiments that ended with just as many deaths.

With his semen, however, they had impregnated five women and infused the fetuses with gamma-radiated DNA. Peter was the only survivor and had been infused with spider, gamma-radiated DNA. With SHIELD’s shut down, its rebuilding, and Hydra being flushed out, Peter was discovered and Agent Hill had notified Steve as soon as she was positive Peter was really his son.

Since then a week had passed, in which, Steve never left his son’s side. He had to fill out an abundant amount of paperwork, promise to let Bruce watch his development, and swear to check in with the SHIELD Science Division bi-monthly. It was an intrusion into his life but it was all worth it.

As soon as Steve had looked into his son’s eyes he loved him. Peter represented not only a different life but a family as well. When he woke in the 21st century, he thought having a family or any kind of normal life was lost to him but Peter provided him wrong.

Peter reached into the bush and Steve heard a loud crack. Peter pulled half the bush out and said, “Look, Papa!

Steve cringed. Peter had inherited his super strength and it was both a blessing and a curse. Steve did not have worry about hurting Peter with his own superior strength but Peter did not know how to control his own power.

“Peter, you should not break that,” Steve stated gently and took the large branch from Peter’s grasp. He stabbed it into the ground so it looked like it grew there. In a few days it would die but by then no one would question how it happened. Steve looked around them to make sure no one noticed Peter’s abnormal strength.

“Why?” Peter asked, he looked up to Steve curiously. Steve grinned upon his question. Peter was in his questioning stage and every other thing he said was usually a question. Steve loved explaining things to him and watching the wonder grow in his boy’s eyes as he learned something new.

Steve motioned to the bush and explained, “This is a living thing. It needs the branch to grow.”

“The city also owns it and put a lot of effort into making it look nice,” Bruce murmured behind Steve but Peter did not hear him.

Peter looked at the bush with wide eyes and he whispered, “It’s awive?”

“Yes.” Steve stood and motioned to the entire park as he said, “Everything you see here is alive.”

“D-Did I hurted it?” Peter asked, tears were growing in his eyes.

“No,” Steve whispered and gently ran his hand through Peter’s hair. He instantly felt guilty. He should have worded it differently.

Peter buried his face in Steve’s chest and blubbered, “I don’ w-wanna hurted anyones.”

“I know you don’t,” Steve whispered as he rubbed his back. Peter shook in his grasp and Steve felt totally helpless. His son spent the first two years of his life in a Hydra lab being experimented on. Steve wished almost daily that SHIELD had found Peter's mother before she gave birth to have saved her life and spared Peter. Steve was supposed to be a superhero but, with all his strength, he could not save Peter from the emotional scars he had received.

“Peter,” Bruce quietly cajoled. “Peter, look, there’s ice cream!”

Peter perked upon the mentioning of the sugary substance and Steve shot Bruce a grateful smile. Peter absolutely loved ice cream. One of the SHIELD agents gave it to him and ever since he had been hooked.

“They have strawberry,” Steve murmured excitedly after quickly scanning the available flavors. “You haven’t tried strawberry yet!”

“Stawberry?” Peter asked, picking his head off Steve’s chest. Steve wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled sweetly at him. The sadness in his son’s eyes was instantly dashed by the excitement of the nearby dessert.

“Do you want to try it?” He whispered to Peter.

Peter nodded and Steve said, “Alright, let’s get some ice cream.”

Steve bought a vanilla cone for himself, in case Peter did not like the strawberry flavor, but he absolutely loved it. Bruce also got a chocolate cone for himself. The three of them sat on a secluded bench overlooking the walking path and watched the people go by as they enjoyed their dessert.

“Maria told me about your living situation,” Bruce suddenly said. Steve twitched in surprise and he slowly swallowed his lick of ice cream.

“I’m looking into apartments in Brooklyn right now,” Steve stated. He and Peter were currently staying in a nearby hotel. Steve was uncomfortable returning to the bugged apartment SHIELD had given him. It was hard finding a place now that he was so well known but now that he had a child to care for he had to limit his search further. Steve murmured, “I just haven't found one yet.”

“You should move in with us,” Bruce said and Steve looked at him in surprise.

“Us?”

“At the Tower,” Bruce explained. “Me, Clint, and Tony mostly but the others stop in from time to time. Thor treats it like a vacation home. Natasha treats it like a free hotel but she has been stopping by more frequently…We all were hoping you’d rethink Tony’s offer and join us. It would be nice to have the team together and everyone will _love_ Peter.”

Tony had mentioned Bruce staying at the Tower since the attack on New York but he did not know Clint was there or that the others frequented it as well. The billionaire had asked him to move in soon after the attack but Steve had declined, wanting to stay in Brooklyn. Tony pestered him for a few weeks about it but eventually gave up.

Steve glanced down at his son. Peter’s face and hands were covered in pink syrup from the melted ice cream. His eyes were dancing with joy as he devoured the last of the cold cream.

Steve was going to move to Brooklyn because it had been his home since the 1940s but now… as he thought on it, maybe it was time for change. Peter would be safer in the Tower and once it got out that Steve had a son he would be hunted by both reporters and enemies. Steve would have an easier time protecting him surrounded by Avengers than everyday neighbors. And the Avengers were the closest thing Steve had to friends other than Sam and Buc-.

The thought came to immediate stop. Bucky was alive but he did not remember Steve or their friendship. He was the Winter Solider now and Steve had not seen him since they had last fought, months prior. He had tried to search for him but Steve found no trace of him. Thinking of him made his heart ache. He had secretly loved his best friend but had always quashed the feelings. Steve pushed his sad thoughts aside and refocused on their discussion.

“I should ask Tony first,” Steve said. “He extended the invitation years ago and that was before Peter…”

“He will love Peter!” Bruce promised. “And so will the others!”

Steve grinned and pulled Peter on his lap and asked him, “Do you want to meet some of Papa’s friends?”

“Yah!” Peter exclaimed then asked, “Will dey have ice cweam?”

Both he and Bruce laughed and Steve said, “Yes, but you are not going to be eating anymore today.”

Peter humphed and stared beadily at what was left of his strawberry ice cream. Looking at the toddler, Steve knew if Tony offered, it would be impossible to deny his boy another.

\---

Within the hour, Bruce convinced Steve to stop by the Tower that very day and ask Tony in person.

The Tower was several city blocks away and they walked them all. The stroll felt refreshing to Steve and he loved to watch Peter’s reaction to everything. He made sure to meander and not walk his usual pace so Bruce could keep up with him. The scientist could handle the walk as long as Steve did not move too quickly. It was not too hard for Steve to do it with Peter pulling at him to stop and let him touch or look at something closer. By the time they reached the Tower, Peter was absolutely exhausted.

Bruce led the way into the Tower and they bypassed secretary at the front desk without a word to her.

“Hello, Dr. Banner,” the young woman said and eyed Steve and Peter curiously. She probably assumed they were guests of Bruce so did not ask him to check in with her. Steve was still wearing his disguise so she probably did not recognize him.

Whenever Steve saw Tony, they usually met elsewhere, usually for lunch at a nearby restaurant or diner. The Tower was a foreign place to him. He had not been inside it since Loki and the Chitauri attacked New York.

Bruce placed his hand a pad beside the elevator. There was a flash of light on the pad as it read his palm then the elevator dinged open. They stepped inside and the doors closed behind them.

“To the community room,” Bruce said.

“Welcome home, Dr. Banner and it is a pleasure to see you again, Master Rogers,” Jarvis said and the elevator began to rise.

“Uh nice to see, well, hear you too, Jarvis,” Steve said to Tony’s AI. Peter perked up upon hearing the voice and looked around the elevator curiously.

“Shall I inform Sir of your arrival?” Jarvis asked.

“Please,” Bruce replied. “And can you ask him to join us as well? Steve wishes to speak with him.”

There was a short pause then Jarvis said, “Sir will be with you momentarily.”

The elevator opened and Steve followed Bruce out. They stepped into a large entertainment room with an attached kitchen, and dining room. Clint lounged on one of the couches in the living room portion and was watching the largest television Steve had ever seen. Clint was wearing his usual black shirt and pants, all form fitting and a gun holstered at his side.

Clint sat up and said, “Jarvis, pause the show.” To them he said, “Bruce! Steve! Hey, what’s up? Who’s the kid?”

Steve glanced at Bruce in surprise and murmured, “You didn't tell him?”

Bruce shook his head and said, “No, this is the first time I have been home since SHIELD notified me that they found a gamma-radiated child.”

Overhearing them, Clint gasped, “Whoa, is this the kid they called you in for? Are we babysitting him now?”

Steve adjusted Peter in his arms and he said, “He is my son. SHIELD just found him, Hydra has had him this entire time.”

“Holy shit,” Clint cursed and his gaze repeatedly shot from Peter to Steve as he took in their familiar characteristics.

Steve instantly covered Peter’s ears and hissed, “Don’t curse in front of him.”

Peter looked up at him curiously and asked, “Wha awe you doin’?”

Steve brushed back Peter’s hair and said, “Nothing. Do you want down?”

“Yah!”

Steve carefully set Peter down and he crawled past Clint and to the couch he had been sitting at. He ran his hands over the soft fabric, enthralled by the cushioned material.

“You have a freaking son!” Clint gasped as soon as Peter crawled past him. “What are you going to do?! I would be freaking out right now!”

Steve ran his hand through his hair and answered honestly, “I am living day by day right now.”

“Why are you doing that, Cap?” Tony asked. Steve and Bruce turned to see Tony exiting the second elevator. He must have just overheard Steve’s last comment.

Tony had probably just been in his workshop because he was covered in dark grease and oil. He wore a faded Black Sabbath shirt and ripped jeans. His arc reactor glowed dimly beneath the thin shirt.

“Papa!”

Steve shot Tony an apologetic look and turned back to his son before he could reply to Tony. One of Peter’s hands was resting on the couch and he was turned toward Steve. He asked, “Is dis awive?”

Steve smirked and said, “No, Peter.”

“Did that munchkin just call you ‘Papa?’” Tony asked Steve. He stepped next to Steve and peered at him skeptically.

Steve smirked at the shorter man and replied, “You heard right. I’m a daddy.”

“No way!” Tony gasped. He stepped past Steve to peer at Peter more closely.

“I know right?” Clint cut in. “Out of all of us, I always assumed Tony would be the one with a rugrat crawling around not Steve. Steve would be the las—!”

Clint stopped when Peter ripped upholstered side cushion from the couch. The cloth ripped and the metal frame whined for just a second then the room became totally silent.

“Ish not hurted,” Peter assured them then he tore the thick cushion in half and dropped the larger of the two.

“I’m so sorry, Tony,” Steve said and he ran over to his son. To Peter he said, _“Peter,_ you should not tear something up just because it is not alive! Be sure to ask me before you do something like this again, okay?”

Peter frowned indignantly and murmured, “Okay.”

Steve took what remained of the cushion out of Peter’s grasp and picked him up. He murmured, “Let’s meet Papa’s friends, okay?”

“Kay,” Pewter murmured shyly and half buried his face into his chest.

Steve walked back to where the three men gathered and repeated, “I’m so sorry, Tony. He does not know his own strength. I can pay for the couch.”

“No need,” Tony replied. “I usually have to replace it whenever Bruce Hulks out or Thor visits. I am more shocked by the fact that Mr. Perfect Virtues and Values had a kid out of wedlock, nonetheless had sex! _And you did not tell me!_ Who is the mom? Is it someone I know?”

“It’s someone from Hydra,” Clint interjected.

“Ohhhh a forbidden romance, this just got dirtier,” Tony said with glee and was practically dancing in place.

“No,” Bruce said, placing a hand on Steve’s arm. Steve’s face was beet red and he was biting back a nasty retort. “It was Mary Parker. Hydra had kidnapped her and forcibly impregnated her with Steve’s sperm. They took it from him while he was still frozen. He had no idea what was going on. And Mary’s dead… So is Richard…”

“Aw no,” Tony gasped. His shoulders fell and he gasped, “I had hoped those two disappeared to get away from Norman…”

“You knew her?” Steve asked, tightening his hold on Peter.

“This is a small island. All us scientists knew each other, especially those of us who were going to make a difference…” Tony sighed then peered at Peter. To his son, Tony murmured, “Hey munchkin, your mom was kick-ass.”

“Don’t curse in front of him,” Steve stated with a heavy sigh. With Clint and Tony he knew he was going to be saying this a lot.

Tony rolled his eyes and whispered to Peter, “And your dad is a stickler.”

Steve imitated Tony as he rolled his eyes and he said to Peter, “Peter this is Tony Stark, he is my best friend but he is also the most immoral man you will ever meet.”

“And I am a billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, and superhero,” Tony added with a cocky grin.

“Superhero? When did you start adding superhero to your list?” Steve asked sarcastically.

“When they started to make comics about Iron Man,” Bruce replied dryly.

“No,” Steve gasped. “Please tell me it is not true.”

“I have every copy in the library,” Tony stated with a wide grin.

“Don’t read any of them or he will never let you hear the end of it!” Clint warned and Steve laughed. Peter picked his head up, his shyness seemed to clear upon his laughter. Steve stopped chuckling as he realized this was the first time Peter heard him laugh aloud like this. He smiled warmly at his son and Peter smiled back.

Living at the Tower would be good for both of them. It would give Steve constant contact with his friends and Peter a stable father. He just hoped Tony would still take them.

He turned to Tony and seriously stated, “Peter and I need a place to stay and I was hoping your offer still stands.”

Tony blinked in confusion then suddenly grinned. He said, “Of course, Capsicle! You and the munchkin are welcome to stay! I have a floor waiting for you but we’ll just have to add some stuff for the mini Rogers!”

“He’s Parker actually,” Steve stated. “Peter Parker. I thought he should take his mother’s name, to keep him safe from the infamy of my name and in memorial of her sacrifice…”

Tony suddenly spun back around and his eyes fell on Steve and they were full of gratuity. He did not know how well he knew Mary but next thing he knew Tony had his arms around both of them. Steve tensed then relaxed into his hold.

Tony whispered, “Parker or Rogers, he’s welcome and so are you, Steve.”

Steve bit the inside of his cheek and wrapped one arm around Tony and returned the embrace, trying to fill all his gratitude with the touch. With Peter squished between them, Peter grabbed Steve’s dog-tags to pull himself up and placed his tiny hand on the warm glow of Tony’s arc reactor. He peered curiously at the glow and asked, “Wha’s dis?”

They pulled back just enough so Peter’s hand remained on Tony’s chest and Tony grinned at his son. Tony quickly glanced up at Steve through his dark eye lashes and Steve’s heart flipped in his chest. His breath caught in his throat and he gulped it back.

Tony looked back to Peter and explained to Peter, “It keeps me alive and is snazzy chest piece.”

Tony offered to show them to their rooms and Steve, Bruce, and Clint followed him. Peter shot questions at Tony, all of which Tony answered enthusiastically.

Steve remained quiet throughout the tour as he contemplated the feeling he just felt when Tony looked at him. It was an all too familiar feeling. It reminded him of Bucky’s cocky grin…It reminded him of something he had not felt in many years but it was impossible...

He could not be attracted to Tony…Could he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Within a few days, Tony had “gamma-baby” proofed Steve’s floor and all the other living areas available for the toddler to access.

Steve’s new apartment was huge, including a master suite for himself and a smaller bedroom (originally a guest room) for Peter. There was an office with a small library, a kitchen, a dining room, a workout room with weights and a treadmill, and a living room which was where the elevator was to connect him to the rest of the building. All of this came with high-end furniture and a nearly 360 degree, stellar view of the Manhattan skyline.

For the time being, the only room he and Peter used was Steve’s bedroom. Peter slept with Steve every night. Neither one of them were ready to let Peter sleep by himself yet.

The floor beneath the community floor was a workout room dedicated to the entire team with many more facilities. Steve began to work out there every morning in addition to his morning runs. Sometimes, he and Clint would do sets together if they woke the same time.

Everyone always ate together and seemed to only store snacks in their personal kitchens, which Steve was happy to replicate. Breakfast and dinner were team affairs and they all gathered in the large dining room on the community room floor to eat the takeout Tony or Clint ordered, or the food Bruce or Steve made. Steve had helped his mother cook so he made wholesome meals that Tony called “All-American.” Bruce made more exotic foods he had learned from his travels and every dish was something delightfully new to Steve always with a touch of spice.

After they got settled in, Steve and Peter spent most of their time in the community room. Steve began to sketch again or played with Peter with his new toys.

Tony had come up with a number of indescribable toys for Peter and Peter absolutely adored them. Steve loved to watch him play with his adamantium Avengers action figures or roll around on his steel tricycle. Thanks to Tony, Peter could have a semi-normal childhood.

They did not stay in the community room all day however. Steve continued to take Peter out daily, mostly to Central Park, but he also took him to places like Cooney Island or along the piers. They would always walk to these places and Peter would marvel at the skyscrapers towering over them. He loved them most of all and would always build a mini city out of his blocks.

Steve continued to wear his disguise and Bruce had usually accompanied them. He too wore his disguise but his face was not as well-known as Steve’s so he was more lax about wearing it.

Peter only seemed to possess super strength and showed no other signs of mutation from the gamma-radiation. Bruce was beginning to lose interest and devoted more of his time to studying Peter’s biological samples than studying Peter himself. He went out with them less. Steve missed Bruce’s company, they had become close friends in the time he spent with them, but Steve cherished the additional alone time he had with Peter.

“Papa!” Peter squealed excitedly in his arms. “Look!”

Steve had taken Peter to the Central Park Zoo for the third time that week and Peter could not get enough of it. They got there just as the gates were opening so the larger afternoon crowds had yet to arrive.

Steve expected Peter to be pointing at another animal but, to his surprise, he was pointing to Tony. Tony was dressed in his workshop clothes and wore large mirrored aviator glasses, his hair was a mess and pointed in all directions, he had a fine layer of grime on his skin, and he wore floppy flip flops. He looked more like a bum than one of the wealthiest men on the country.

“Your disguise is impeccable,” Steve commented when he was within earshot. Tony grinned and adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

Steve gulped back the emotions that welled up. He could not deny his attraction for Tony, it had only grown since Tony helped them out and showed such an interest in Peter. Yet Steve pushed back the new emotions as he had with Bucky. Eventually, he would be able to totally smother them with Tony too.

“Thought I’d join you two,” Tony said. He leaned against the railing beside Steve and waved at Peter. Behind him the polar bear shifted into the water and Peter lost all interest in Tony.

“It’s nice to see you,” Steve said. “Are you done with whatever you were working on in the workshop?”

Tony nodded and said, “Made a new toy for mini Freedom.”

“Tony, thank you but you didn’t have too,” Steve said graciously.

“Are you kidding? How could I not make something for this adorable specimen of stars and stripes! Have you decided who you are going to name godfather yet? I humbly apply for the position.”

Steve rolled his eyes and said, “I’m still trying to adjust to the fact that I am his father. He also has other family…Not on Mary’s side but Richard’s…I think I want Peter to get to know them. I just don’t know where to begin…”

Tony turned to the polar bear with a frown and murmured, “I can help you find them.”

“Jarvis already gave me their address. I just don’t know how I am going to explain this all to them…” Steve said. He faced the polar bear too and adjusted Peter in his arms so his son could keep watching the bear as it swam.

Tony suddenly leaned into his side and his warmth seeped into Steve’s arm. Steve flinched then relaxed and peered questionably at Tony.

“If you do go to them, take me with you,” Tony said, his eyes still lingered on the swimming bear. He continued, “It will be emotional. You’ll need a friend.”

Steve leaned into Tony and said, “Thank you.”

Leaning in to each other’s sides, Steve and Tony watched the polar bear as it swam and listened to Peter’s delighted giggles. They both verbally dropped the subject, he did not know about Tony, but Steve’s thoughts remained with Peter’s distantly related family.

Steve could not help but fear that May and Ben Parker would fight for custody of Peter. Merely living with Steve was putting him in a dangerous environment. Any court of law would see that and grant custody to the safer family member. The Parkers may not be related to Peter via blood but they were related through marriage they technically were Peter's closest relatives after Steve. 

Steve might have to choose between being Captain America and fighting with the Avengers _or_ keeping Peter and, even though it devastated him, he knew he would always choose Peter.

Steve’s grip tightened on Peter and he silently prayed to God that he would never lose him.

They strolled through the zoo, Peter led the way by pointing. Steve and Tony talked and Peter was too fascinated by the animals to pick up any of their conversation. At first, they made observations about the animals and the other zoo goers. Then Tony brought up ideas about new toys for Peter and ways to make the Tower safer for him.

“Tony, you are a Godsend,” Steve gasped at one point.

Tony paused and he smiled suddenly as he flushed from his praise. Tony said, “It’s no problem, Cap.”

“I don’t know how I would ever repay you,” Steve said. Peter tugged at his collar and Steve mutely followed his reach to a cage of lemurs. Tony kept in step with him.

“There’s no need to pay me back, I was just doing my patriotic duty,” Tony said with his teasing smile. Steve learned long ago to not take his mockery personally but he could not help but roll his eyes upon Tony’s jibe.

Steve sat Peter on the railing but kept a firm hold on his waist and a wary eye on Peter’s strong tiny hands. Peter leaned forward and only watched the lemurs as they lounged against the topmost branches. Any movement from them made Peter twitch from excitement.

“…How are you, Steve?”

The question took him by surprise and he turned his head to Tony and answered, “I’m fine. Why?”

Tony quirk up both eyebrows and gave him the overly exaggerated “I don’t believe you” look then said, “You were having a tough time before Peter. You just found out you have a kid _and_ he has been genetically modified by your ultimate enemy…I would be nowhere near be _fine_.”

As Tony’s words hit him, Steve’s heart constricted and he looked down at the top of Peter’s head. He loved that everyone fawned over Peter but since they settled at the Tower no one had ever asked Steve how he was doing. As he thought on it, he never realized how much things had been weighing on him until that moment. All those fears suddenly welled up to the surface and came flowing out as soon as he opened his mouth.

“Ever since I learned about him I have been scared,” Steve whispered. He ran a hand over Peter’s tiny head and continued, “I’m scared the gamma-radiation could kill him at any moment, I’m scared he might Hulk out like Bruce...I’m scared that if he does survive that he will hate me when he’s older…” Tony grasped his arm and Steve’s hand unconsciously went over his and squeezed it tightly. Steve continued, “I have been totally unsure of myself ever since I agreed to take care of Peter. I have never doubted my abilities until now… I feel weak around him. I am so scared I am going to mess up.” He turned to Tony and did nothing to mask his fear as he gasped, “Whenever I loved someone that person was always torn from me. My mother to death, Bucky to death and then the Winter Solider, and Peggy to time and Alzheimer’s. I’m terrified that fate will tear him out of my grasp just like everyone else.”

Steve’s grip tightened on Peter so much that his son looked up at him in concern.

“Papa?”

“I’m okay, buddy,” Steve murmured huskily to Peter, trying to hide the emotion in his voice. “D-Do you want some ice cream? I thought I saw a vender up the ways.”

“Yah!” Peter exclaimed. Steve went to step away but Tony’s hand stayed on his arm and he tightened his hold on him when he went to pull away. Steve looked to Tony uncertainly.

“Cap - Steve…Steve, I understand why you’re scared. I do. But I can also assure you is…you are not alone,” Tony whispered. “You have me, Bruce, Clint, Natasha, Thor…All of the Avengers would do anything for you and Peter. Fate might try to take him but all of us will fight like hell to stop that from happening.”

All the emotion he had been trying to keep locked up for days suddenly flooded his system and he hugged Tony. He could not help it. A tiny voice inside of him told him not to do it that it was inappropriate and to avoid any more contact with him, emotional and physical, but Steve only buried his face deeper into the crook of Tony’s neck.

Tony tensed in surprise then awkwardly returned the hug and whispered, “I promise, Steve. I won’t let anything happen to him.”

“Ice cweam, Papa!” Peter wailed from between them.

They pulled apart chuckling. Steve met Tony’s eyes and saw his gaze was alive with the belief in his conviction. Steve fell for him a little more but he did not care. At that moment, he knew Tony would lay down his life for Peter, a boy he barely knew.

“Ice cream?” He asked Tony.

Tony grinned and said, “Only if I’m buying!”

He ran ahead of them and Steve gasped, “Wait! That’s not fair! You know Peter won’t let me hear the end of it until I get him ice cream! Tony?!”

Tony merely laughed and handed his credit card to the vendor before placing a single order. He turned back to Steve with his eyes dancing with mischief and Steve felt himself fall for him a tad more.

“Ice cweam!” Peter gasped, squirming in his hold. Steve broke out of his stupor and adjusted his hold on Peter before the toddler managed to slip from his hold.

“Coming right up, Petey,” Steve promised. He glanced back up at Tony and felt a flush hit his cheeks.

\---

“Why is Tony so smitten with Peter?” Steve asked Bruce.

He had just gotten back from the zoo with Peter and Tony. Tony had paid Peter and Steve equal amounts of attention but he was especially attentive with Peter. Steve did not mind, in fact, he loved watching the two of them interact. This was not unusual for Tony however. He not only made Peter toys but he also gave him clothing (all Iron Man merchandise, of course) and made sure to see him every day.

Bruce glanced up from his telescope and answered his question with a question, “Where is Peter?”

“Getting acquainted with Natasha,” Steve sighed and Bruce winced. It was hard to deny the assassin but his trust with her was new and he was still getting used to it. And despite the fact that he was a super soldier and outweighed her three times over, she frightened him.

When he, Peter, and Tony came back from the zoo she was waiting for them in the common room. She already knew who Peter was and as soon as they stepped off the elevator she told Steve she wanted to hold her godchild.

Upon his blank expression, Natasha expression became venomous and she informed him, “I am his godmother. There are no other suitable candidates.”

It had not been a question and Steve had readily agreed. After Steve gave up his son to his new godmother, Tony began to mutter indignantly under his breath about being godfather.

Steve sighed as he thought of Tony. He redirected the conversation with Bruce back to his question, “…So Tony?”

“Tony…” Bruce paused and scrunched his face as he thought. He continued, voicing his words slowly, “Tony took us all in when we had nowhere else to go. I think he likes to help people. Just don’t question it.”

Steve sat on the stool across from Bruce and murmured, “I can’t help but question it. Tony is generous but with Peter he goes above and beyond.”

“He’s a baby, everyone likes to spoil a baby,” Bruce said with a shrug. He looked back into his microscope and murmured, “If it bothers you so much, why don’t you ask Tony about it yourself?”

Steve felt a flush hit his cheeks and he turned away sharply from Bruce. The scientist did not notice as he was too infatuated with whatever was on the slide.

Steve was originally going to bring it up with Tony but when Tony excused himself to grab Peter’s new toy in his workshop he had called Steve “Captain Handsome.” Now Steve could not think of Tony without remembering the pet name and he automatically blushed furiously.

Steve rubbed his face and groaned, he felt like a teenage girl with her first crush. When he was attracted to Bucky, he never went through these kinds of reactions. Then again, he had known Bucky his entire life and Bucky never used pet names like “Captain Handsome.” He knew what to expect with Bucky but Tony was always an enigma.

“Steve?”

Steve looked up and saw Bruce looking up at him from his microscope. Bruce’s brows were bunched together and he asked, “Are you okay?”

Steve rubbed his face one more time and replied, “Yes…" He sighed and his thoughts immediately went to his son. This was the longest he had been away from Peter and not even ten minutes had passed. He murmured, "I’m going to check on Peter.”

Steve slipped off the stool and buried his fists in his pockets as he walked away from Bruce.

Natasha and Clint were the only ones in the community room with Peter. Tony had yet to come back with his promised toy. Clint leaned back on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table, the remote in one hand and a candy bar in the other. Natasha sat near him with Peter sleeping on her lap. She peered down at the exhausted toddler with a found eye.

Steve stopped in his tracks when he saw such an expression on Natasha’s face. He had never seen Natasha show anything more than feigned interest. Her eyes shot up and focused on him and just as quickly any affection on her face totally disappeared.

“Captain,” she said in way of greeting. “Are you done with Dr. Banner already?”

“Yes,” Steve replied. He sat next to her and gently brushed hair out of Peter’s face. He asked Natasha, “Did he hurt you? He does not know his own strength yet…You’re actually the first person I let hold him since I got him.”

Natasha smiled thinly and replied, “Don’t worry, he fell asleep as soon as he was in my arms.”

Steve let out a breath he did not know he was holding and gasped, “Good, good, I was a little worried but I figured you could handle yourself.”

“You thought right,” Natasha replied. “You know...being a single-dad is a turn on for a lot of women and I know quite a few women who would—.”

“I don’t think I can handle dating anyone right now,” Steve stated. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He could not believe she was bringing this up again. Why was she so intent on setting him up? He stated, “Peter is a handful enough.”

“Out of all of the men on this team, you are the only one who has a chance to have a stable relationship,” Natasha stated, almost as if she was scolding him.

“Hey,” Clint said indigently, lifting his head off the couch.

“You’re almost as bad as Stark,” Natasha told Clint without turning toward him.

Upon mentioning of Tony’s name, Steve immediately fought back a flush and the memory of “Captain Handsome.” Steve ran his hand over Peter’s soft hair and glanced up at Natasha. He tried to be elusive as Natasha whenever around her but he knew he let something slip by the look in her eye.

“I have been getting more action. Tony hasn’t hooked up with anyone since he and Pepper broke up,” Clint informed them with a smirk.

“I stand corrected, you are worse than Stark,” Natasha replied, finally turning to the archer just so she could raise an eyebrow.

“You know it!” Clint replied with a cocky salute with his chocolate bar.

Natasha rolled her eyes then turned away from Clint and she stared at Steve with a renewed interest. Steve squirmed under her stare and could not look her in the eye. Natasha leaned in and he tilted back.

She whispered under her breath, “I know a few men, _better than Stark_ , who are also interested in single-dads.”

Steve went bright red and sputtered nonsense. Natasha grinned when she saw she had guessed correctly.

“Tasha what did you say to him? You broke him!” Clint gasped. He sat up and stared openly at Steve.

“N-Natasha – ,” Steve tried to say anything but he could not get the words out.

“No need to explain, Captain,” Natasha said. “I had half guessed it already by the way you had kissed me. You just artfully confirmed it with your stuttering.”

Steve felt more blood rushing to his face and it doubled when he saw Clint’s jaw drop.

“You two kissed?!” Clint gasped. Thankfully he did not read between Natasha’s lines

“It was ages ago, Barton,” Natasha replied. “It was cover for a mission not for pleasure.”

“But you kissed Cap!” Clint gasped.

“I-I am going to see what’s taking Tony,” Steve garbled.

He could not meet Natasha’s knowing eyes nor deal with Clint’s reaction to his and Natasha’s old kiss.

He knelt in front of Natasha and kissed Peter gently on the forehead. Touching his son calmed him down slightly.

He went straight to the elevator and could hear Clint grilling Natasha on all the details about what happened. As he stepped in the elevator he asked Jarvis, “Is Tony still in his workshop?”

“Yes, Master Rogers, shall I tell him you will be joining him momentarily?”

“Yes, thank you,” Steve said and the elevator doors closed and it began to move down without his asking.

The elevator shuddered slightly when it stopped and Steve inhaled deeply to settle his flaring emotions then stepped out.

“Cap!” Tony called out to him. “Over here!”

He found Tony bent over a platinum gold highchair with red cushions. He had opened the side and was fiddling with the wires on the inside. Dummy was bent over Tony’s hunched form with a fire extinguisher at the ready.

“What is that?” Steve gasped, all thoughts of his embarrassment left him as he gazed at the complicated machinery inside a seemingly simple object. Tony shoved all the wires back into place and closed the hatch. He grinned slyly at Steve and got to his feet.

“It’s a highchair with a few safety mechanisms added in for good measure _but_ , the best part is the paint job!” Tony said then stepped back so Steve could get a good look at the high chair and all its gold and red glory. There was a U.S. flag stitched onto the seat backer and Steve shook his head.

“This is a little ostentatious,” Steve murmured. He met Tony’s hazel eyes and felt the flush hit his cheeks. He hoped Tony would attribute it to the flair of Peter’s new toy.

“The kid’s got a right to be a little showy,” Tony replied. “His father’s Captain America and the rest of his family are a part of the Avengers!”

There was a nervous clench in his gut and Steve stated, “Except for Ben and May Parker.”

Tony frowned then waved Dummy away and the robot rolled across the room. A foot from them, the bot clenched down on the extinguisher’s handle and white foam spewed from the hose. It kept rolling leaving behind a line of white foam in its wake.

Tony groaned and turned to the other two bots and ordered, “Butterfingers! U! Clean up after Dummy before he tries to himself!” The bots instantly went to action and Tony turned back to Steve. He said, “We could go down to Queens right now and talk to them. It can be just you and me. Peter does not have to go. We can explain the situation to them and ask if they want to meet him. It’s…” Tony pulled out his tablet and looked at the time. He said, “It’s a little after three on a Saturday. They’re probably home. You can’t keep putting this off, it will make you go crazy.”

Steve inhaled deeply then made himself pretend this was a mission. He straightened his back and pushed back all his emotions. He was able to meet Tony’s eyes without flushing and a resolve built inside him.

“You’re right,” he replied. “We should not let another day pass.”

Tony nodded and said, “Alright, let me get dressed. I don’t want to let them think you and Peter are running around with crazy people!”

Tony slipped off his work gloves and tossed them on the counter next to him. He walked over to the bathroom and pulled his shirt off over his head. Steve merely glimpsed Tony’s structured back muscles before he dropped his gaze. He heard enter the bathroom and the shower turn on. Tony yelled out, “Hey Cap! Can you grab one of my suits out of the closet? It’s by the bots’ charge-stations. Open the door, will you Jarvis?”

“Yes, Sir,” Jarvis replied. A door at the opposite side of the room opened and Steve stomped over to it like he was on mission. There were a number of suits in varying colors, all enclosed in protective plastic covering.

“Any preference?” Steve called out to Tony. He tried to focus all his attention on the suits and not the fact that Tony was naked only a few yards away. Naked and under a waterfall of water…and naked.

He shook his head and blushed. He clenched his fist. He needed to focus.

“Nah, just grab the closest one to you!”

Steve did as Tony suggested and grabbed a plastic-wrapped navy blue suit with a white button up shirt. On the floor, Steve spotted some loafers with dark socks tucked into them so he grabbed them as well.

Tony had left the door to the bathroom open but the shower was behind the door so Steve could not see him. Yet his mind went wild and he imagined Tony under the water and all the grime slipping off his skin. Steve gulped, his throat suddenly dry and all his bravado gone. He silently walked across the room and paused at the threshold of the bathroom.

He peered down at the discarded clothing on the floor and became flustered thinking about lifting his gaze any higher. Images of Tony standing under the water ran through his mind: Tony’s hands in his damp hair and water running down his torso, following the contours of his body leading down to—.

All the blood in his body rushed to his face as his sudden embarrassment outweighed his arousal. _He should not be thinking of his friend like this!_

“I’ll…I’ll hang your suit on the door,” Steve said and clipped the hanger on the outer doorknob.

“Would you like to help me scrub my back too?” Tony teased.

He imaged his hands on Tony’s bare back and all the blood that had originally run to his face fell straight down to his groin. Steve sputtered and stepped away from the door.

Tony heard him sputter and dryly chuckled, “I’m joking, Cap.”

The shower turned off and Steve practically tripped over his feet to get away.

Steve went back to the elevator and waited for Tony there with his back to the bathroom. He practiced some of Bruce’s breathing exercises and they helped tremendously to calm him down.

He heard Tony step out as his loafer clicked on the concrete floor. Steve turned to see Tony doing the buttons on the end of his blazer. He had totally transformed from a greased up mechanic to the handsome billionaire the magazines made him out to be.

“That was a short shower,” Steve commented. He made himself think unpleasant thoughts and prayed that no more blood would flow to his half-hard cock. It was not noticeable right now but if Tony teased him again it might grow.

He could not believe he was thinking such impure thoughts about his friend. If Tony knew he would probably be disgusted.

“Only cleaned what would be visible,” Tony explained. He bent down and lifted a pant’s leg to show the dirty skin underneath. He stated, “I figured I should move fast. I did not want you to change your mind.” Tony stepped forward and grabbed his elbow. The warmth from his touch made Steve’s head spin. His skin was touching Tony’s skin. Could Tony feel his pulse? Could he feel him shiver? Tony nodded his head to the exit and said, “Let’s go.”

“Maybe I should change too,” Steve soberly murmured as he deflected his gaze from Tony and looked down at himself. He was wearing the same clothes that he had worn to the zoo. It was a buttoned down blue shirt and khaki trousers. Maybe he should change into his formal army uniform or a suit like Tony.

Tony shook his head and said, “You look fine, Cap. Heck, you look like the dads they use to pose with the kids in the magazines!”

“Is that a good thing?” Steve asked. Steve always thought the ads looked a little fake. Tony grasped his hand and steered him into the elevator. Steve’s fingers twitched in his hold. He did not know if he should leave his appendages lax or curl them around Tony’s grip.

“Yes, Cap, it’s a very good thing,” Tony said with a roll of his eyes. He let go of Steve’s hand before Steve could decide what to do with it. Tony paused and scrutinized him for a second before saying, “Well, you could loosen up a little…”

Tony unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt and Steve shivered as he felt the ghost of Tony’s finger’s brush against the skin of his throat. Tony patted his chest, right beneath the open neck of his shirt, making his dog-tags clink together.

“Good,” Tony murmured, his warm gaze slowly traveled up his neck before his eyes locked with Steve’s. His eyes flashed with an unknown emotion. Tony ran the tip of his tongue over his lip and Steve’s mouth went dry. Was it really so wrong to want to taste where Tony’s tongue had just flickered across his mouth?...Just only for a moment, just a taste…

Steve raised his hand to cup the side of Tony’s face but paused when his hand raised as high as Tony’s elbow.

_What was he thinking??_

“Thank you,” Steve coolly stated and dropped his hand. He shifted his gaze to the side and stepped past Tony.

Steve knew he should have felt ashamed by his dirty thoughts but he actually felt bizarrely guilty.

He chalked it up to his dry manner. He should not have been so cold to Tony for no reason. That had to be it…Steve could not have feelings for his friend.

Despite his reasoning, the guilt would not abate and a strange pressure began to build in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll update again in another week! Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double chapter posting enjoy! :D

Ben and May Parker lived in a very quaint house in a suburban Queens neighborhood. It was small, two-story house that looked with its ranch-style it looked like it had been built in the 1970s. It had a large flower bed in front of it and a nice manicured lawn. The front door was open to let in fresh air through the wrought iron screen door. The door opened up to a porch, it was in the need of a new paint job and three, uneven stairs led up to the porch a few feet from the sidewalk.

For a moment, Steve pictured Peter sitting on the porch with one of his toys and his stomach clenched. The image did not look wrong, in fact, it looked normal, something he wanted for his son.

Tony slowly pulled to a stop in front of the house in his bright yellow Lamborghini. A pickup truck sat in the driveway and Steve could hear the sound of a TV playing a commercial from the open front window.

“They’re home,” Steve whispered. He had hoped no one would be there.

“Yup,” Tony said. He turned off the car, leaned back in his seat, and turned his head toward Steve. “So you sure you want to talk to them? We could just do some reconnaissance right now…”

An older man stepped outside the residence and stared pointedly at them.

“We should have taken a less noticeable car if we were going to do reconnaissance,” Steve sighed and stepped out of the car. Tony also got out and waited for him to round the car and stepped beside him, matching Steve’s stride with his own. When they were close enough, Steve saw recognition filter through Ben Parker’s features. Steve did not know who he recognized, Steve, Tony, or both of them.

Ben stepped back and called, “May, can you please come here? I need you to tell me if I’m seeing things…”

“What is it?” She called from inside. Steve and Tony paused at the bottom of the porch stairs and looked to the door as they heard May make her way to the front of the house as the old floor boards creaked beneath her tread.

She opened the door and gasped, “Oh my goodness! Are you two lost?”

“No, Ma’am,” Steve replied. “We were wondering if you and Mr. Parker had a moment?”

“Come in,” Ben ushered them, his face suddenly ashen.

“Ben?” May gasped.

“Inside, May,” Ben whispered. He pushed his wife inside and waved them inside. Steve and Tony exchanged glances then Tony shrugged and stepped up the stairs. Steve followed, his gut felt heavy as he lifted his legs to ascend the stairs.

The inside was nicely furnished with antique furniture that looked like it had faded in the years since they purchased it. On the walls, Steve immediately spotted Mary Parker in several photos with a man who looked just like Ben’s junior. He must have been Richard Parker, Ben Parker’s younger brother.

Before he or Tony could make any introductions Ben suddenly spoke up.

“Are you here about my brother?” The older man asked.

“Richard?” May gasped.

“He and Mary were in SHIELD, May,” Ben explained to his wife and the older woman blanched.

“B-But they weren’t superheroes or spies!” She gasped.

“No and yes,” Tony replied for Ben. He had read the same records Steve did on Mary Parker. “They served SHIELD as both spies and scientists…scientists mostly according to the files.”

Ben sat down on one of the couches and pulled his wife down with him. May had paled a considerable degree and had placed a hand over her heart. She turned to her husband and asked, “Why did you never tell me?”

“He was not supposed to know,” Steve interjected.

Ben nodded and said, “Richard told me after a particularly bad mission. He wanted me to know in case he and Mary did not come back…Like now with the years it had been since I last heard from either of them. They’re dead, aren’t they?”

“Yes,” Steve replied.

Ben tightened his hold on May and asked, “Was it recent?”

“No, Richard died three years ago and Mary died a year later,” Steve replied.

Ben nodded, his face was awash with pain but it was a dampened pain. The older man explained, “We always assumed they were dead. We filled a missing persons report for both of them but…I always hoped…” He paused then rubbed his hand across his lower jaw. He asked, “Why did it take so long for us to get word?”

“Hydra kept their deaths a secret. If you have been watching the news lately then you know they had infiltrated SHIELD?” Tony said and Ben and May nodded. Natasha had leaked all of SHIELD and Hydra’s secrets onto the internet and it had been all over the news. She and Steve were blamed for the leak. It was common knowledge now but he had to be sure. Tony continued, “With Hydra’s downfall we have been uncovering a lot of things we did not know…”

Tony looked to Steve and Steve knew it was time. He motioned to an armchair and asked, “Can I sit down?”

The older couple nodded and with a heavy sigh Steve sat across from the couple. He explained, “Hydra had taken… pieces of me when I was still unconscious from being frozen. With it they tried to recreate a super solider…They were successful on only one account….They had taken my, _hem_ , my sperm and impregnated Mary with it.” He blushed slightly saying sperm. He hated having to saying it aloud, especially to a lady. It was downright embarrassing.

May hissed sharply and Ben clenched his jaw.

“She gave birth to a boy. He is two now and his name is Peter…I just recently found out about him and have been raising him ever since. I know you are not related to him by blood but you two are related by marriage and the closest thing he has to family other than myself. If you want…I want you two to be a part of his life.”

“I have a photo of him if you want to see,” Tony offered. Steve glanced up to his friend and thanked him with a grateful smile. Tony nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Without any urging from the Parkers he held out the tablet with Peter’s image on it.

May reached out and greedily grasped the phone and brought it between her and Ben. They stared avidly at the picture.

Steve had caught a glimpse of the picture and knew it was one of the newer ones. Peter was in Steve’s arms and was playing with his Iron Man action figure. It had been one of the first toys Tony had given him and Tony took a photo as Peter enthusiastically played with it in Steve’s arms.

“I see Mary in him,” May whispered in a broken voice. Tears were gathering in her eyes and Ben’s eyes were beginning to glisten too.

“I also see you in him, Captain,” Ben whispered. He looked up from the photo and said, “You said Hydra had succeeded?”

Steve nodded and said, “He has my strength.”

Ben nodded and his gaze fell back on the photo. He whispered, “Richard and Mary talked about having children. They wanted two, a boy and a girl. I’m glad Mary was able to bring a boy into this world… Even though you are not the father she expected for her son, I know you will raise him right.”

May nodded and Steve had to pinch back tears of his own. He could not believe they so easily trusted him and believed in him.

“Thank you,” he gulped. He leaned forward and took May and Ben’s hands and repeated, “Thank you.”

“I would love to meet him,” May whispered.

“Me too,” Ben said with a warm smile.

“Just say when and I will bring him or you can come to the tower and see him whenever you want,” Steve promised and was rewarded with grateful smiles from both of them. Tony grasped him shoulder and Steve looked up and saw him smiley widely at Steve. Steve returned to smile and clapped his hand over Tony’s.

Steve and Peter’s family grew by two more that day.

Upon their first meeting, Peter and Ben connected in a way Steve would have never expected. His son fell in love with his elder uncle. Surprisingly, to Steve he became a sort of a father figure. He never really knew his own father but Ben was like he had always imagined him to be. He was one of the friendliest and caring men he had ever met.

That first night, after Steve put Peter to bed, Ben sat down with Steve and they recollected the old times, they had grown up in nearly the same era. From there they talked into the night about life and the future. Ben listened to his doubts and plans and readily supported and believed in him. He and the older man immediately struck a friendship, having shared the same views and beliefs.

By the week’s end, Peter had gained a godfather in Ben and a middle name: Peter Benjamin Parker.

Tony did not complain about losing the godfather-role like Steve had expected. In fact, he was glad for Ben. The older man was just as besotted with Peter as Peter was with him and Tony saw it.

“Godfather is more of a religious role anyways,” Tony later told him. “I’m not religious but both you and Ben are. It fits. _But_ I aspire to be the cool uncle now. Just watch, I’m going to have him cursing like a sailor, totally tattooed, and riding motorcycles by age four!”

Used to Tony’s antics, Steve did not look up from his sketchbook and dryly said, “Sure, Tony.”

“Oh, you’re no fun,” Tony said, falling onto the couch next to Steve. He grinned cockily at Steve and Steve could not help but grin back.

Tony may have not been Peter’s godfather but he certainly was more than an uncle, the man was like a second father to Peter.

\---

Peter was baptized and held by Steve as the water was run over his head. He frowned at Steve the entire time but did not cry because he was promised ice cream if he behaved. Steve had to hold back his laughter as he watched his son take the situation so seriously.

Natasha and Ben stood by his side as Peter’s godparents. In the pews, May, Bruce, Clint, and Tony watched the ceremony. It was a private ceremony in a church built for discreetness, originally it had belonged to a strong and religious Mob family but now it was merely a local church.

After the ceremony, they returned to the tower for lunch. As they ate, Tony made a reference Steve could not understand and it led to the creation of Movie Night at the Avengers, a first for them. Tony decreed that he was done trying to explain pop culture references to Steve and these movies would better acclimate him to this world.

Tony had invited everyone to join in on the even, including Thor, and they were all delightfully surprised but elated to hear back from their ally. He would come.

Thor had flown in and landed on the balcony outside the community room. Just as Jarvis informed them of his arrival, Thor came in, took one look at Peter, and went straight to Steve, picking him right off the couch.

“CONGRATULATIONS CAPTAIN!” Thor exclaimed joyfully and picked up Steve in a constricting hug that tucked Steve’s arms into his sides, lifted his feet off the ground, and left him with no avenue of escape.

“T-Thank you,” Steve gasped as he fought for breath.

“A son is a glorious gift!” Thor informed him as he placed him back on the ground.

“Yes, he’s wonderful,” Steve replied, stepping back from the Norse God of Thunder.

The rest of the Avengers watched this exchange from the couch. Clint had a bowl of popcorn sitting on his lap and was busy adding hot Tapatio sauce to it. Leaning into Clint, Natasha had Peter sitting on her lap and was bouncing him gently on her knee. Sitting on Natasha’s other side, sat Tony with a tablet on his lap. He watched the exchange between Thor and Steve with amusement. Bruce sat next to Tony and had been looking over something on Tony’s tablet with him but he too was watching Steve and Thor with a small smile.

Steve had been sitting at the end of the couch, next to Bruce, and had a sketchbook sitting on his lap but it was now on the floor…

Peter watched Thor curiously and without recognition. He had yet to recognize him from his Avenger’s action figures.

“We shall throw a great feast, one greater than those held in the halls of Valhalla!” Thor exclaimed, clasping the sides of Steve’s face.

“There’s no need,” Steve replied in a lower voice, hoping to get Thor to lower his.

“Are you sure, Captain? My brother has been known to throw quite memorable feasts.”

Steve tensed as he recognized the voice and Thor’s expression grew serious.

Loki stepped into the room from the balcony, his sly green eyes took in the gathered company and he smiled. “It is nice to see all of you again.”

A beat of shocked silence enveloped them.

“YOU-!” Clint hissed, breaking the silence with his angry outburst. He jumped off the couch and the popcorn bowl went flying from his lap. Natasha practically threw Peter at Tony then launched herself at Clint. She got him in a headlock and brought him to a shuddering halt only a few feet away from Loki.

Upon Clint's reaction, Bruce’s fingers dug into the couch and his eyes turned dangerously green.

“What the hell is he doing here, Thor?!” Tony hissed, getting to his feet. Peter grasped Tony’s shirt tightly and stared at his father with obvious concern.

Steve tore himself from Thor’s hold and snatched Peter from Tony’s grasp. He held his son tightly to his chest. Peter was shaking but silent. He could feel their tension and anger in the air.

Before Thor could reply, Loki disappeared in a blink of an eye then reappeared in front of Steve. The Trickster smiled thinly at him and Steve’s skin crawled. Loki did not say a word to him and disappeared again but so did the weight of his son in his arms.

Steve looked down praying to God that he was mistaken but his worst fears were confirmed. Peter had disappeared with Loki.

“PETER?!”

Steve felt like the world was tilting on its axis and every thing was falling around him but, somehow, Steve remained standing. Loki could have taken his son anywhere not just on Earth but in the entire universe. Blind panic instantly surged through him. Where would he begin looking?? Would Thor know what his brother had gone? Was Thor in on it too??

The rest of the team instantly jumped to their feet and rounded on Thor.

“Where did Loki take him?” Natasha hissed.

“What the hell was he doing here?!” Clint repeated.

“Urghhgahh,” Bruce moaned, falling back into the couch. He was covering his mouth as if he was holding back vomit but the telltale green tinge on his skin was not from sickness.

Steve should have been worried about the Hulk. He should have been evacuating the room and trying to calm Bruce but he could not calm himself. He was their leader and he was supposed to be clearheaded in any situation. But he did not give a damn about anything but Peter at that moment.

What was Loki going to do with Peter??

As if the Lord had been listening, his question was answered when he heard Peter begin to cry on the very balcony Thor had landed on.

Steve immediately ran toward the noise and he was soon followed by the rest of the Avengers, including Bruce who was growing larger by the second.

Loki stood by the railing holding Peter over the side and watching the toddler cry. Peter’s feet kicked uselessly at the open air and his strong, tiny hands were clenched over his head. Steve felt his gut plummet down the hundreds of stories Peter could fall. All Loki needed to do was relax his grip and Peter would fall hundreds of stories to his death.

They all came to a halt by the door.

Steve’s entire body froze so quickly that he skidded to a stop. A chill went up his spine that was eerily similar to the same freeze of the cold waters of the Atlantic that had frozen him.

He had seen Peter cry out of frustration, cry from exhaustion, cry out of stubbornness, and, worst of all, cry because of the memoires he had from being an experiment in Hydra. Despite all those times, he had never seen Peter cry like this. He had never seen such terror in his eyes. It was almost like he knew his demise was possible.

Such knowledge made Steve enraged.

“Brother-,” Thor stated cautiously.

“This boy is extraordinary,” Loki murmured. “He has the powers of two, maybe even three Avengers rolled into one.”

“GET YOUR DAMN HANDS OFF MY SON!” Steve roared, clenching his fists.

Loki turned around, folding Peter safely into his elbow. Steve allowed himself to relax just a tad. Peter may no longer dangling hundreds of stories from the ground but he was not out of the woods just yet.

“Papa!” Peter cried and reached out to him as soon as he saw him. Peter was utterly terrified and his face was red, scrunched, and soaked with tears. It infuriated Steve to see his son in such a state.

Steve’s shield was leaning against the wall in his bedroom. His arm felt bare without it and he itched to throw it at the Trickster.

“My brother and I came when we heard word a child was born to the Avenger clan,” Loki informed them and, to Steve’s surprise, he gently placed Peter on the ground. He stepped back and Steve charged to his son. He snatched Peter off the ground then jumped out of Loki’s reach. Peter clutched him tightly and Steve wrapped his arms around him, trying to encase Peter in a cocoon of his flesh.

“Yes, the Lady Jane informed us,” Thor mumbled, his gaze was uneasy as he peered at his brother.

“I don’t care who told you! Why the hell did you bring Loki here?! Isn’t he supposed to be locked up??” Steve growled. Peter whimpered upon his last exclamation and Steve immediately cooed to his trembling son, trying to soothe him.

“Wasn’t he dead?” Clint added with a venomous glare at Loki. His statement was more of a threat than a question. Loki grinned and leaned back against the railing.

Thor’s expression grew dark and murmured, “Much has happened in Asgard since I last came to Midgard.”

“Why did you take Peter?” Steve growled to Loki. He bounced Peter softly as he began to hiccup. Even with his body brimming with anger, Steve handled his son with the gentlest of touches.

“When my brother heard of the boy I had to come see him too,” Loki murmured. “…Though the rumor was the boy was son to the mighty Banner…not you, Captain.”

“Rumor?” Tony gasped.

“Bruce?” Steve gasped at the same time.

“None of us have spoken to Jane or any of the others about Peter,” Natasha stated grimly, her glare never wavering from Loki.

“The ‘ _scientific’_ community is abuzz with the news,” Loki stated, staring at Peter with hungry eyes.

Steve turned to Bruce but paused when he saw the Hulk standing behind them all. The Hulk was hyperventilating but glaring at Loki with an irrational stare.

“Puny God,” Hulk growled, spit began to foam at the corners of his mouth. “Puny God take Hulk brother. Puny God bully Hulk family.”

Loki paled as Hulk’s rage focused on him. He straightened his overcoat and whispered, “I believe I saw enough. I think I shall move on, brother.”

Hulk roared and leapt to Loki but as soon as he moved Loki disappeared. Hulk landed on the railing instead of the trickster god. The railing crumpled underneath his weight and Hulk had to slam his thick fingers into the concrete floor to keep from falling over the side. He pulled himself up then circled the area where Loki stood and muttered dangerously, “Where Puny God go? Hulk smash Puny God.”

Tony stepped forward and cautiously said, “Hulk…”

Hulk turned his murderous gaze on them and Steve felt his heart clench with fear.

“We just need to be calm around him,” Tony whispered with a singsong voice. “Just need to get him in a happy place and Bruce will come out. Right, Big Guy?”

“Hulk don’t want Puny Banner to come out,” Hulk muttered sulkily. Hulk stepped over to them, his anger evaporating with every step. His large green eyes fell on Steve and Peter and his gaze totally softened.

“Hulk brother okay?” Hulk asked, gently nudging Steve’s arms where Peter was tucked away. Hulk was obliviously trying to be gentle but the soft touch bruised Steve’s skin. Steve flinched but was more shocked of Hulk’s concern than his slight injury.

“P-Peter’s fine,” he gasped.

Hulk nodded and said, “No one hurt Hulk brother. Hulk smash any who try.”

With that Hulk stepped away from Steve. Hulk grunted indignantly at Thor then pushed his way through the other Avengers. He went back to where Bruce had been sitting on the couch then sat down. The couch creaked under his weight but held.

Hulk stared at the dark screen of the flat screen for a few seconds before looking back to them and yelling, “Hulk want Disney!”

“Jarvis!” Tony said.

“Right away, Sir,” Jarvis replied to Tony’s unspoken command and the television flickered to life. Music started to play and the familiar symbol of the multi-tiered castle of the Walt Disney Company appeared. Hulk focused on the screen and his shoulders relaxed.

Tony sighed and turned to Steve. He laughed, “It looks like Peter has himself a big brother!”

“Why would Hulk think Peter’s his brother?” Steve hissed.

“They’re both related through the gamma-radiation, perhaps?” Tony suggested with a shrug. Steve nodded, it was the most likely conclusion.

He relaxed his hold on Peter and peered down at his son. Peter was hiccupping and tears were still falling from his eyes.

“Are you okay, Petey?” Steve asked softly.

“D-Dat man w-was sca-sca-we,” Peter gasped.

“You’re safe now,” Steve promised and enveloped Peter in a tight hold.

“For now,” Clint stated ominously.

“None of us have told anyone about Peter, not even Dr. Foster,” Natasha added.

“SHIELD has loose lips,” Steve concluded grimly. He released Peter from his hug but he was not going to be putting his son down for the rest of the night, maybe even the rest of the week. He was going to be having nightmares of Peter being torn from his arms for even longer.

“So Peter’s existence is going to get out soon,” Tony voiced what everyone was thinking. “Though they do not seem to know Peter is Steve’s son.”

“Indeed,” Thor stated. “Word has spread that a gamma-radiated boy was born to the Avengers. Everyone’s logical conclusion was that he was the offspring of the mighty Banner. As soon as I saw the boy, I knew him to belong to our leader…And I apologize, Captain. I did not think Loki would do something as dastardly as to take your child from your own arms... He was just... excited. You are mortal but your strength rivals our own. He must have wanted to see what the fruit of your lions could produce. With a closer inspection...”

“Just never bring him here again, Thor,” Steve stated and the large man nodded. Clint grunted in agreement.


	4. Chapter 4

Tony monitored the rumor. It hit the internet first. Starting in unknown blogs and eventually spreading to reputable news sources. The gossip rags speculated it for a few weeks until an undisclosed SHIELD source stepped forward and confirmed that there was a toddler living in Avenger’s Tower who was related to one of the team members.

As soon as the word got out, reporters and paparazzi descended upon the tower in a great wave of human depravity. Steve stopped taking Peter out on walks, fearing he would be recognized. It was a hard thing to do. Peter had grown used to the routine and missed the zoo especially.

All of the other people in the building, who were not a part of the Avenger's, were Tony’s employees and had been handpicked by Pepper. They were trusted to not leak anything but Tony was sure to remind them that their employment included a privacy clause, which, if violated, would lead to their immediate termination and an immediate lawsuit. The few that actually knew of Peter and the truth of his existence were monitored by Jarvis and knew they were being monitored by Jarvis so Steve doubted they would have any trouble with them.

Steve replaced walking around the city with Peter to walking around the building. Peter became compliant about the situation. Steve promised to bring him to a larger zoo once the media circus died down.

Peter quickly developed a favorite place to go within the tower: Tony’s workshop.

They were quick to add visiting the workshop to their routine but soon found themselves spending most of their time in Tony’s workshop. Peter was entranced by Tony as he worked. From the sparks that came off his blowtorch to the holograms that glowed with Tony’s specs, Peter could not stop watching. As soon as he woke, h's son began asking to go down there and, every time they left, he threw a tantrum.

Tony made Peter a mock workstation that mimicked pieces in Tony’s own workshop. Peter played on it constantly. It made noises, lit up, and holograms set off fake sparks similar to the real ones Tony worked with. The mock workstation was located on the edge of Tony’s workshop and had a protective shield between it and the actual workshop just in case something went wrong with Tony’s work. The shield was clear so Peter could watch Tony with a critical eye and imitate what he was doing.

Steve lounged on an old couch in the workshop, right next to Peter’s mock workstation. There he watched Peter play and Tony work. He usually sketched both of them. He filled his notebooks with their images.

It was a side of Tony, Steve rarely saw. Tony was totally content while working and his face was serene. Whenever things worked the way he wanted, Tony smiled like he never saw him do before, biting down on his bottom lip as he grinned as if he was trying to smother a childish giggle of excitement. It was radiant and filled with joy. Whenever something went wrong, he jutted out his lower lip, like Peter would whenever he wanted ice cream, and mumbled to himself until he found some sort of answer.

He contorted his body in odd ways as he worked on his machinery. It was why Steve first started to sketch him. He was used to sketching people in relaxed positions, either sitting down or standing in place. While Tony worked, he was like a contortionist, moving around his inventions in odd angles to get to a piece from a certain vantage point. Steve quickly had his sketchbook filled with various images of Tony contorting his body in ways he did not think possible.

However, he soon he found himself just sketching simpler things like Tony's smiling face, the shine from the sweat on his shoulders, or the concentration in his hazel gaze…

One day when Steve came down, carrying Peter on one arm and his sketchbook in the other, he was pleasantly surprised to find the old couch that was probably as old as he was, was gone. In its place was a brand new couch with deep seats, plush cushions, and an attached chaise lounge for him to stretch out his legs. Tony was playing with a hologram, pretending not to watch as Steve came in. Steve sat Peter on the ground and his son toddled over to the couch. He inspected it with a curious eye and ran his hand over the soft leather.

Steve turned to Tony and said, “Thanks, Tony, but you did not have to do this. The old couch was fine.”

Tony looked up from his hologram and replied with a grin, “It’s no problem, Cap.”

Steve sat down on the couch and instantly loved it. It must have been the most comfortable thing he ever sat on. He leaned back into the cushions then propped the sketchbook up on his lap. He let his head fall back and he closed his eyes for a moment.

Peter lost interest in the couch and went to work at his mock workstation. As the workstation started to make whirling noises, Steve picked up his head and found Tony leaning back against a counter and was watching Steve. As he looked at him, Steve realized he was wearing the same clothing yesterday and there were dark bags under his eyes.

“Did you sleep at all last night?”

Tony blinked in surprise and crossed his arms over his chest. He mumbled, “I’m not sure. What time is it?”

Steve glanced at his wristwatch and replied, “A little before seven a.m.” They had another hour before the team met up for breakfast.

Tony whistled and said, “Nope. I did not sleep a wink. But it’s alright. I do a lot of overnighters.”

“That’s not healthy,” Steve replied with a frown. “You should get some sleep right now…Peter and I can go.”

“Don’t go! I had like my fifth coffee twenty minutes ago,” Tony retorted. “I’m not going to sleep any time soon!”

“That is _really_ not healthy, Tony,” Steve groaned. He let his head fall back on the couch and he wondered what other unhealthy things Tony had been doing and how long he had been doing them.

He felt a sudden shift on the couch and he lifted his head to see Tony sitting next to him with an amused grin on him face.

“Ever since you found out you were a dad, you have been on me about my health,” Tony teased.

“No, I started to live with you and then started to rag you when it became apparent you do not know how to take care of yourself,” Steve replied.

“Oh Captain, my Captain, why don’t you have a wholesome wife yet? You are just oozing responsibility! Ladies love that!” Tony gasped in mockery.

Steve dropped his gaze and ran the tips of his fingers down the binding of his sketchbook.

After Natasha guessed his sexuality, she sent Steve a number of articles and links to websites. All of these items confirmed that what he was experiencing was normal and he was not the only person who had such feelings toward people of the same sex. It was the most amazing thing Natasha could have given him. He had always hated that part of himself but, now, he realized he did not have to. He was not a freak, he was normal.

Steve knew the first step to accepting himself was to stop lying…and he wanted to stop lying to his friends first.

With his heart racing, Steve replied, “Maybe I’m not looking for a wife…maybe I’m looking for a husband?”

Tony’s instantly creased in confusion as his brows shot together and his eye widened. He suddenly smiled and said, “I did not know you had it in you to joke, Capsicle.”

Steve put on his most serious expression and stated, “It is not a joke, Tony.”

Tony twitched and gasped, “You’re not serious.”

“I loved Bucky,” Steve retorted, his voice giving a little on the end. It was the first time he had voiced it aloud. He had admitted it to himself only just recently. He had tried to deny it like his sexuality.

“Oh, Steve,” Tony gasped upon hearing the sincerity in his voice. “Jeez, I did not know. And that whole Winter Soldier fiasco…”

Steve’s heart clenched as he thought of Bucky’s new life. He had tried to look for him after the helicarriers fell and he had healed from his wounds but he could not find even a clue. For all he knew, Bucky was dead.

As if he could hear his crushing thoughts, Tony suddenly encased him in a tight hug. Steve flinched then slowly wrapped his arms around his torso and pressed his face into Tony’s chest. The arc reactor bit into his cheek and its warm glow heated his flesh.

“Thank you for telling me. I know it must have been hard,” Tony whispered, rubbing his back gently.

“It is so frightening and exhilarating all at once,” Steve confessed.

Tony pulled out of the hug and cupped the side of his face. His eyes were wistful as he whispered, “You are brave, Steve.”

Steve grinned as Tony slid his hand off his cheek. Steve caught that hand and whispered, “Thank you.”

Tony curled his fingers around Steve’s and his thumb brushed the back of his hand in a soft caress. He leaned in and whispered to Steve, “No, thank you.”

Steve blushed under the intensity of Tony’s eyes. He quickly looked away and reclaimed his hand. When he glanced back at Tony, he saw the man grinning at him with an odd glint in his eye.

\---

Telling the rest of the Avengers was much easier.

He did not need to come out to Natasha but he did inform her that he was telling everyone else. Natasha smirked smugly and told him she was proud of him.

Bruce had been mildly surprised but informed Steve he was perfectly fine with whatever Steve preferred. Bruce was a man of science and he confessed to Steve that the politics of sexual preference was bizarre to him. He and Steve talked about the oddity and discussed what might happen if Steve came out to the world. Otherwise, his only major interest was if he planned to have more children. Steve reply was to only shrug. He was fine with just Peter right now. Bruce was somewhat disappointed. After some prodding on Steve's part, Bruce bashfully revealed he wanted to compare blood specimens of a super soldier’s gamma-radiated and non-gamma-radiated children. He was totally unaffected by the fact Steve was attracted to men but his scientist side could not help but wonder at the differences. Steve was more amused than offended. This was where Bruce and Tony were most alike. They both were extremely passionate about their work. It may hinder the social skills sometimes but it certainly improved their science.

Clint was the most shocked and refused to believe him at first. He thought Tony had put Steve up to it. Only after Steve insisted repeatedly, did Clint finally believe him. After that he flipped but it was not from anger, it was surprise. Clint became giddy with the knowledge and asked if he could be there when he eventually told Coulson.

Thor did not care, in fact, he thought Steve was coming on to him. He informed Steve that he was in a relationship with Jane but if they ever broke up then he may consider Steve. In Asgard, sexual preference was apparently not an issue and Steve had to try to explain Earthling’s problems with it. Ultimately, Thor became more confused by Earth’s politics but in the end he was assured that Steve was not coming on to him.

Ben and May were taken aback by his proclamation. Out of everyone, Steve feared old fashioned predigests from them. Yet they surprised him. May had hugged him and Ben had grasped his arm during her embrace. Ben whispered hoarsely, “You were born to a difficult era for men like you. I’m glad you are here now, Steve. Now you have a chance to be yourself.”

He told no one else. Steve only wanted his family to know and he dared not tell anyone in SHIELD without word getting out. It was bad enough with the media crawling all over the tower to get any information on Peter. He could not imagine what it would be like if it got out that Captain America was gay.

\---

A madman who called himself Doctor Doom tried to take over Washington D.C. with giant “doom-bots.” All the Avengers were called in to bring his invasion to a stop.

It was the first time Steve was leaving Peter for an extended period and he was a nervous wreck about it. Jarvis had locked down the entire tower and Ben was there to personally watch Peter. He stopped by every weekday after work and luckily Doctor Doom choose that time to attack.

As Steve fought, all he could think about was Peter. Was he okay? What if this Doctor Doom decided to attack the tower too? What if Peter threw a tantrum? What if he hurt Ben? What if Ben was not keeping such a good eye on him and he swallowed something? What if he got into something he was not supposed to? What if? What if? What if? The “what ifs” tumbled around his head making him crazy with worry.

He led despite his anxiety. He gave orders and directed the team while fighting off bots and worrying about Peter. They defeated the bots but thanks to the sudden arrival of group of people calling themselves “The Fantastic Four” Doctor Doom got away.

Steve called the team to return to the tower to hold a debriefing. He was more than happy to leave SHIELD to deal with the Fantastic Four.

Steve did not want to wait for the jet so he went up to Tony and asked him to fly him back.

“You sure, Cap?” Tony asked in his metallic Iron Man voice. “The air is thin and cold up there.”

“I just want to see Peter,” Steve said.

“…Jarvis says he is fine,” Tony stated after a moment’s hesitation, most likely from speaking to his AI.

“I _need_ to see my son,” Steve stated.

“…Alright, Mama Bird,” Tony murmured. “Come here.”

He opened his arms and Steve stepped into them. Embracing Iron Man was a whole lot different than Tony. His hold was cold, hard, and strong but beneath it all was the man Steve was coming to love. He lay his cheek against the warm arch reactor in Tony’s chest and closed his eyes. Iron Man took off with a sudden jolt and Steve tightened his hold on his fellow Avenger.

The flight reminded him of his crash into the icy Atlantic. The cold bit into his skin and lungs. The air was like ice as it froze his insides. Frost collected on his hair and clothes. All his muscles shook with shivers and by the time he landed, he could barely stand from the shuddering.

Steve hugged himself for warmth and clutched his gut. He felt sick, like the salt water was sloshing in his stomach. He wanted to vomit it up and gasp for a breath free of sea water. The ice was freezing his limbs, stiffening his muscles…

Tony stepped out of the Iron Man suit and, without any hesitation, took Steve into his warm embrace.

“T-Tony?” He gasped, resurfacing in the present with a jolt. For a few seconds, he was back in the crashed plane and drowning in the cold.

“You’re half frozen, you lug,” Tony grunted. He rubbed his back and arms. The heat coming off Tony’s body hacked away at the icy growth in his muscles. Steve groaned and leaned into him, greedily taking what he had to offer.

Tony stepped back and tore the gloves off Steve’s hands then rubbed his hands with his. Collecting both of his hands, Tony brought them up to his mouth and exhaled heavily onto them. His breath spread warmth across his skin and made Steve’s heart race and a flush cross his cheeks.

It was _too_ intimate.

“That’s enough, Tony,” he gasped and Steve tore his hands out of his grasp. Tony looked up at him with wide eyes and Steve realized how out of character he acted. Tony was helping him but Steve was acting as if he was doing the exact opposite. He added, “Thank you but I have to go check on my son….Sorry…Thank you… Sorry.”

He tore his gaze from Tony then unbuckled his cowl as he made his way into the building. The feel of Tony’s breath stayed on his hands and he tenderly ran his fingers over the skin of his palms.

Despite his worry, Peter was totally fine. He went straight to the community room to find Ben and Peter sitting on the ground playing with Peter’s action figures.

“Papa!” Peter exclaimed when he came into the room. He took in his uniform then gasped, “Did shu save dat-tha world?”

“Just the capital,” Steve said with a small smile. Warmth blossomed in his chest as he stared at his son. He knelt between Peter and Ben and picked up the Captain America action figure. He asked Peter, “Did your superheroes save the world?”

“No, dhey awe planning to bweak into da fwidge,” Peter replied.

“The fridge?” Steve asked with a chuckle, “Why the fridge?”

“Cause da ice cweam is in dhere,” Peter replied and Steve laughed.

He looked to Ben and asked, “Was he alright?”

Ben smiled warmly and replied, “Yes, he is the sweetest boy I know.”

“Unca Ben saws I am as swee’ as ice cweam,” Peter added, drawing a chuckle from Ben.

“That you are, my boy,” Ben said, lightly pinching Peter’s cheek. Peter giggled under the touch and smiled bashfully at his godfather.

“Thank you so much for coming by on such short notice,” Steve said and Ben shook his head.

“There’s no need to thank me. I love to see Peter. Think of me as your go-to guy whenever you need someone to watch him!”

Tony entered the room and ironically gasped, “Oh, look! Peter survived! You happy now, Cap?”

“We’re all good, Tony,” Steve retorted dryly. He turned back to Ben and said, “You can stay as long as you want and we will provide a car to drive you out through the underground entrance so the reporters won’t follow you…I’m going to take a quick shower and to change into some new clothes. You’re fine for another ten minutes?”

“Another hour, if you’ll keep me,” Ben replied.

“Of course, like I always say, stay as long as you want!” Steve replied. He handed the action figure to Ben and got to his feet.

He walked over to the elevator and Tony followed him. Steve tensed until Tony held out his uniform’s gloves. Steve took them, making sure to not touch Tony, and murmured, “Thanks.”

“No prob, Cap,” Tony replied with a shrug, not meeting his eyes. He continued, “Look, I am sorry if my hug or warming your hands was awkward. I did not mean anything by it. I know it upset you…”

“No, I was the one who overreacted,” Steve murmured in apology.

“It’s just that you are a great guy and I know you still love Bucky and I don’t want you to feel as if I'm trying to get between that and –.”

“I don’t still love Bucky,” Steve interrupted. He flushed guiltily and said, “…I mean I did love him, now…I don’t know what I feel toward him. Heck, I don’t even know if he is alive…”

The elevator door slid open and Steve stepped inside. He turned back around to see Tony peering at him particularly.

“My floor, please,” Steve asked Jarvis.

“Yes, Master Rogers,” Jarvis replied at the elevator doors began to shut. Tony’s hand shot out and stopped the doors from closing.

He stepped onto the threshold and gasped, “Wait! D-Do you want to go out sometime?”

“Out?” Steve asked in confusion.

“Well maybe not out-out with that insane horde of reporters outside,” Tony quickly reiterated. “Maybe in, on my floor, we could do a dinner date?”

“Date,” Steve stated the word slowly. Did he hear Tony right?

“Or not..? We don’t have to. I just thought you were interested. I mean I am interested. I don’t know how many clues I shot you, more so after you told me you were gay. When it never went further I just assumed you still held something for Bucky. Or maybe you still do? Oh God, you still do don’t you?? I moved too fast! I’m sorry. I read into the hugs and the stares…I could not help it. I mean you’re you! You’re hot, you’re wonderful, you’re…you’re staring at me as if I am insane.”

“You’re babbling fairly quickly,” Steve gasped. He felt like he was going into shock. This could not be happening. Tony was not really saying these things. His mind filtered through the last few days he had seen Tony more and he had been touching Steve more: resting his hand on Steve's shoulder or arm, touching his hand in passing, sitting next to him on the couch so close that they were touching, and the staring... that was what he noticed the most was the staring. He thought Tony was looking for the right moment to ask Steve if he could build Peter a jetpack _again._ He _never_ thought Tony would ask him out!

“Forget everything that I just said,” Tony gasped, adverting his eyes. Steve blinked in surprise. As he thought over the last few days several seconds passed. Tony looked horrified and had stepped back to let the elevator close.

Steve surged forward and stopped the metal doors from closing. He paused as the 1940s sentiments instantly cropped up. It made him want to smother the emotions that were welling up inside him. He had to remind himself what century he was in then embrace the emotions and say what he really wanted to say.

Tony peered at him fearfully, probably expecting Steve to berate him.

Steve asked, “Are you serious? You’re not pulling my leg?”

The tips of Tony’s ears turned red and he cast his gaze down as he murmured, “Yes.”

“Th-Then yes,” Steve gasped. The words were heavy and hard to push after so many years of rebuffing them. Yet as the words came out, they would not stop. It felt amazing. He stated, “Yes, please…A dinner date. Yes, I want it.”

“You do?”

Steve felt his cheeks turn red but he smiled through it and said, “Yes, I do.”

Tony grinned his award winning smile that made the butterflies flutter in Steve’s stomach. Tony asked, “So tonight? After Peter goes to bed?”

“Sure,” Steve replied and stepped back. The doors closed before him and Tony’s grin never wavered. Steve found himself smiling too as his anticipation grew with every passing second.

 

Steve Rogers had a date with Tony Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gahhh finally! Took these two long enough! 
> 
> I will post the next chapter Thursday! 
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date Night!  
> What possibly could go wrong? >:D

Peter fell asleep in his arms and Steve carefully laid him in his bed. He tucked his son in then quietly exited the room.

“Jarvis, can you alert me if Peter wakes?” Steve whispered.

“Of course, Master Rogers,” Jarvis replied at a lower volume.

With a racing heart, Steve looked at the mirror and ran his hands over his hair. His hair was just fine since he had already checked it a number of times already. He wore his finest tan slacks and best button down white shirt. His heart was racing from being nervous but he was also eager for what was to happen.

With a controlled breath, he left his floor and made his way to Tony’s.

He did not know what to expect. Before he woke in the 21st century, he would have never dared to even imagine this happening. Now he felt like he was stepping into some sort of fantastical dream.

Arriving on Tony’s floor, Steve cautiously stepped out of the elevator and his nose picked up the smell of spicy meat.

“Tony?” He called out.

“In the kitchen!” Tony yelled and Steve ran his hands over his hair again before making his way down the hall.

Steve was not surprised when he saw a number of take-out bags sitting on the counter. The only things Tony knew how to prepare were coffee and burnt coffee. Tony was busily opening the cartons as Steve stepped in.

Tony had taken a shower since being in his workshop. His hair was still damp and his skin glistened. He wore lose jeans and a dark tank. Steve felt a little over dressed and rubbed the back of his neck uneasily.

Tony did not seem to notice and rounded the corner of his counter, heading straight to Steve. He shoved himself into Steve’s personal space and Tony pointedly reminded him, “This is a date. As in romantic, more than friends, man on man date. With me, Tony Stark, a man with male genitalia. You are still willing to do this?”

Steve flushed and rolled his eyes. He replied, “Of course.”

Toy grinned widely and the tips of his ears turned red again as he said, “Great.”

Tony twirled away, stepped back around the counter, and returned to emptying the bags.

Steve motioned to all the bags and said, “Is this really all for us? Do you need help with anything?”

“Yes, it is, and no, Cap. Just sit back and let me work my culinary magic! I will have this ready to go in a jiffy!”

Steve sat at the counter and ran his hand over his hair again. He waited a beat then voiced the question on the tip of his tongue.

“…Have you always liked men?” Steve asked, wanting to know ever since the elevator doors sealed between him and Tony.

Tony nodded and said, “Yup and you’re to blame.”

Taken aback, Steve gasped, “What?”

“Growing up, I had one of your old recruitment posters in my room,” Tony explained. “And it did not encourage me to join the army but it did encourage me to jerk off.”

“Oh Lord,” Steve gasped and buried his face in his hands to muffle his blush. Maybe taking Tony up on a date was not such a good idea.

Tony continued, “Anyways, I like both men and women. Not many know I’m bisexual because I’m picky with my men. They have to have the physique of a Greek God to have a chance to get into my bed. Which, once again, is your fault Cap.”

Steve blushed furiously and wondered if Tony was being this open on purpose. He always liked to make Steve flustered and it certainly was working now.

Tony fell silent and after a while Steve felt brave enough to look back up at him. He was still “preparing” their food. He asked Tony, “Then why were you such a douche when we first met?”

“Ohhh,” Tony groaned comically. “Right below the belt!” He laughed and explained, “You were my first crush and I guess I reverted back to my childhood mentality? You know, as a kid, you’re supposed to be mean to the person you like.”

Steve flush grew deeper and he peered down at the counter. He thought back to the years he had known Tony and asked, “You always felt this way toward me?”

Tony paused in his unpacking and replied, “Yes…I have always been attracted to you. You are freaking sexy anyone who tells you differently is lying. After Pepper…” Tony frowned as his gaze drew inward and he reflected on his past relationship. He continued, “After I got over Pepper, I cast my gaze elsewhere and saw you and, until recently, I did not think it could happen. What about you? What made you say yes?”

Steve glanced up and saw Tony was no longer playing with him. He wore a serious expression, glossed over with a pinch of nervousness. Tony had changed his ways with Pepper. He dropped his playboy attitude and gave his heart to her. Their break up had been bad and drove Tony close to the brink. He had once confessed to Steve if the Avengers had not formed Tony might not have survived.

“You were always my best friend but recently…I started looking at you differently,” Steve replied vaguely.

Tony leaned over the counter and flirtatiously said, “You’ve been looking, huh?”

Steve blushed and murmured, “Y-Yes, I have…”

“I like that,” Tony purred and the blush on Steve’s cheeks grew warmer. Tony continued, “I especially like that you are not testing your newly freed homosexuality out on me but are really interested in seeing me.” Tony reached out and grasped Steve’s forearm for a few seconds before pulling back and going back to unloading the food. His touch lingered on Steve’s skin in a tingling heat. Tony continued, “So Cap, I figured we eat then perhaps watch a movie. How does that sound?”

Relieved, Steve exhaled lightly, he had been expecting a grand, ridiculous plan that would have embarrassed Steve. He whispered, “That sounds nice.”

They piled all the food Tony provided onto their plates like they were at a buffet then sat at the breakfast table next to the window overlooking the city.

Tony enthusiastically described all the different foods they were eating and were he got them. He was proud of the fact about knowing the best places to eat in New York. From there they dived into normal conversation and talked about Peter, the Avenger's, the silly rumors the media came up with for them, and just life in general.

At one point, Steve kicked off his shoes and loosened a few buttons on his shirt. With Tony talking like he usually did, Steve forgot he was on a date with him and was able to relax.

Steve was leaning back in his chair with his long legs stretched out underneath the table as he talked about an old game he and Becky used to play as kids. Suddenly, Steve felt Tony’s foot brush against his leg. He thought nothing of it, assuming he was adjusting his feet, until his foot continued to brush his leg. Steve’s eye snapped up from his food and he saw Tony leaning back in his own chair and staring at Steve smugly. Steve's story dwindled to a stop and silence stretched between them as Tony continued to caress the side of Steve’s leg with his foot.

“Before you called me your best friend and you said you recently started to look at me,” Tony murmured. His socked foot continued to caress Steve’s calf muscle consistently.

“Yes, I did,” Steve whispered hoarsely. His leg was tense at first but he quickly relaxed under Tony’s touch. He moved his leg closer to Tony and Tony’s foot moved with him. He began to caress his inner thigh, his foot coming within centimeters of his crotch. Heat began to pool in his groin and Steve bit back a moan.

“So far, how do you like looking at me while I’m touching you,” Tony asked with a sly grin, his foot lingering close to his groin, waiting for his answer.

Steve flushed deeply and he stuttered, “I-I l-like it.”

Tony’s grin grew larger and he said, “Me too.”

Tony lay his hand on the tabletop, open and inviting. Steve looked from Tony’s open hand then to his open smile. With a racing heart, Steve shyly reached out and placed his hand in Tony’s. Tony’s fingers wrapped around his and caressed the side of his hand with his thumb. His hands were rough from the years he spent working with metal and electronics but Steve instantly loved the texture. Both he and Tony leaned forward, separating their legs but drawing their upper halves closer. They came so close that their breath intermingled.

“I can feel your pulse,” Tony whispered with a feathery touch across his wrist. Steve flushed deeper as he realized Tony could feel his racing heart. Tony leaned closer, pulling himself maybe centimeters from Steve. He drew his hand further up Steve’s arm and whispered, “I never knew you could get nervous, my dear Captain.”

Steve gulped and replied, “And what of you? Don’t you get nervous?”

“Oh, only when the Hulk is angry, I run out of coffee...or when you look at me like that,” Tony replied.

“L-Like what?”

“Like you’re going to devour me,” Tony whispered huskily. He rose out of the chair and loomed over Steve.

Steve’s flush could not get any redder but his heart rate picked up enormously. Tony’s hand drew up the rest of Steve’s arm, across his collarbone, over his neck, and then settled on his jaw. Under Tony’s fingertips, the vein in Steve’s neck pulsated rapidly. His skin shivered in the trail of sensation left behind Tony’s touch.

“Tony?”

“Devour me, Captain,” Tony commanded. His other hand sat on the back of Steve’s chair, totally encaging him with Tony’s form. Tony leaned in his breath, mingling with Steve’s. “I want you to consume me.”

Tony closed his eyes and touched his nose to Steve’s but he moved no closer. He waited for Steve to make the next move. Steve gulped, his throat suddenly feeling extremely dry. He parted his lips slightly and closed his eyes as he lifted his jaw toward Tony.

“Master Parker has wakened, Master Rogers,” Jarvis interrupted just as Steve felt the prickly ends of Tony’s goatee against his lips. Steve shot back and Tony groaned and dropped his head onto Steve’s shoulder.

“Why did you wait till just now, Jarvis,” Tony groaned. “Right now?! I made you to be intelligent to help me! This does not help! You could not wait a few more seconds?!”

“I am sorry, Sir. I did delay but the young Master has started to cry,” Jarvis stated and Steve felt his heart leap into his throat.

“I need to go to him!” Steve gasped, thinking of how scared Peter must be alone in the dark bedroom. He could never leave Peter alone for long before his old nightmarish memories of the lab he was housed in came creeping back and scaring him more.

Tony lifted his head and pouted at Steve. Steve grinned and cupped the side of Tony’s face.

A surge of bravery ran through Steve and he kissed him, his lips lingering long enough to steal some of Tony’s warmth. It was the first time Steve ever kissed a man. Tony’s lips were as soft and warm as a woman’s but his goatee scratched him every time either of them moved. He drew back and Tony leaned forward with an objecting noise to try and stop Steve from breaking the kiss. Steve laughed and pushed him away. He asked, “Till next time?”

“Come back with a hearty appetite,” Tony said with a cocky grin and Steve felt himself flush again. Yet his flush was no longer from embarrassment but exhilaration. He wanted to keep touching Tony and feel his lips on his own again. His earlier misgivings and embarrassments seemed silly now.

Steve licked his lips, tasting a trace of Tony, and whispered, “Oh, you bet I will.”

Tony stepped back giving Steve just enough room to stand. If Peter was not awake Steve would have lingered. The knowledge that he was crying hurt to hear and he knew the longer he stayed the longer Peter would be scared.

“Good night, Captain Rogers,” Tony said, his fingers caressing the side of Steve’s arm.

“Good night, Mr. Stark,” Steve replied. He caught Tony’s hand as he pulled away and squeezed it before letting go. He jogged to the elevator and Jarvis had it open and ready for him.

As the doors closed behind him, he turned back around and faced Tony. Tony stood by the table and was grinning smugly at Steve. The last thing he saw was Tony blowing him a kiss.

Steve fell back against the cold metal of the elevator and exhaled loudly as he placed his hand over his heart. He gasped to himself, “That was incredible.”

“Sir is having a similar reaction,” Jarvis dryly commented and Steve grinned at the ceiling where the voice emitted.

“Does Tony have anything panned for tomorrow?” Steve asked the AI.

“Sir has no meetings scheduled,” Jarvis replied.

“Then could you ask him if he would like to join me and Peter for an outing? We could sneak past the reporters.”

Steve reached his floor just when Jarvis got back to him. The AI stated, “Sir will be glad to join you but he said he hopes you will not ‘eat’ him in front of your son as it might not be appropriate.”

Steve chuckled and shook his head. He gave no retort to Jarvis because he heard his son whimper from the bedroom.

“I’m here, Peter,” he called out to him as he rushed over.

Peter settled down quickly once he was in Steve’s arms. His crying exhausted him and he fell asleep in Steve’s hold in a matter of minutes.

Steve placed him in the bed then paced around the apartment, trying to get rid of his excess energy. He could not sleep. He was too wired from his encounter with Tony.

After a while, Steve knew he was not going to be going to sleep anytime soon and Peter seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep. Steve tentatively looked up.

“Jarvis?” He questioned, “Is Tony still awake?”

“Yes, Master Rogers,” Jarvis replied.

With his heart racing from his boldness, Steve said, “Can you tell him Peter's asleep but I’m awake and he owes me a movie.”

“Very well, Master Rogers,” Jarvis said.

Steve expected Tony to reply via Jarvis, instead, the billionaire called Steve’s cell phone not a moment later. The phone vibrated in his pocket and Steve grinned upon feeling the sensation. He smiled warmly at Tony’s name on the screen then answered it.

“Hello.”

“Hello, my Captain,” Tony purred, making Steve’s toes curl. “I haven’t scared you away yet I see.”

Steve grinned and replied, “Far from it.”

“So a movie…?”

“I was thinking of watching one here in my apartment so if Peter wakes I won’t be too far,” Steve stated.

“I will be down in less than a minute,” Tony promised and hung up the phone.

Steve’s heart rate picked up. He placed his phone on a nearby counter and his hands instantly rose to his hair, brushing it back, trying to fix it. He then ran his over his shirt, to destroy any unseen wrinkles.

By the time Tony arrived, Steve was literally shaking with excitement. He stood in front of the elevator doors waiting and when they finally opened they revealed Tony, leaning back with a sexy, knowing smile strewn sensually across his face.

Tony casually slipped out of the elevator and stepped in front of him. He asked, “Are we really going to watch a movie or are we going to use it as an excuse to start off where we last stopped off.”

“What to do think?” Steve asked, wrapping his arms around the smaller man. Steve stooped his head toward Tony as Tony smirked.

“I think I like where this is going,” Tony murmured before capturing Steve’s lips with his own.

Their second kiss was wilder. Their mouth’s pumped each other for sustenance and their hands explored each other’s bodies in a desperate frenzy. Tony’s touch unlocked a primal beast in Steve that ate away at his inhibitions. Gone were his fears and insecurities. All he needed was Tony, all he wanted was Tony, and nothing else mattered.

Tony pushed Steve back against the wall and pressed his body flush to his. Steve groaned into Tony’s mouth as he felt the mold of his body pushed up against his. Tony’s lithe muscles were tough with strength and the warmth from his body made his pulse quicken.

“Make that noise again and _I_ will be the one devouring you, Steve,” Tony moaned. Steve blushed, biting back another groan as Tony’s tongue found its way into his mouth.

“Th-The couch,” Stave gasped, when he broke away for a breath. His legs were beginning to shake.

“You read my mind,” Tony murmured.

They propelled themselves across the living room. Their hands never leaving the other’s body and their mouths only separating to catch a much needed breath. Steve fell back onto the couch and Tony fell on him, the motion elected another groan from Steve. He loved the feeling of all of Tony’s weight on him.

Steve split his legs to accommodate Tony’s body. Tony slid down Steve’s torso and transferred nearly all of his weight to his knees. Steve moaned in frustration, wanting Tony’s weight back, wanting to feel his body against his, and wanting to feel his body heat intermingle at soaring temperatures with Steve’s. But then Tony’s hands ran over Steve’s chest, down the sides of his torso, and then pulled Steve's shirt out of his pants. He reached under Steve’s shirt and ran his hands over Steve’s abdominal muscles.

Steve inhaled deeply, drawing in his stomach and making Tony tense.

“A-Am I going too fast?” Tony gasped.

Steve’s cheeks were already flushed but he blushed further upon Tony’s question.

“I-I w-was just surprised,” he gasped. “It felt so good…felt so good that I could barely breathe.” His skin felt like it caught ablaze under Tony’s fingers. Steve looked bashfully down and murmured, “D-Don’t stop.”

Tony grinned and began to slowly unbutton Steve’s shirt from the bottom up. Steve’s breathing picked up, Tony’s gaze never broke away from his as his fingers opened his shirt. Steve felt like he burned under his eyes.

“I’m going to make you feel so good that you won’t remember to breathe,” Tony promised. He snapped Steve’s shirt open and groaned, “You did not wear an undershirt. It must be my birthday.”

Tony smoothed Steve’s shirt back over his shoulders and down to his elbow, almost locking him in position with his shirt then bent over and placed a single chaste kiss on the center of Steve’s chest, right above his racing heart. His dog tags clinked lightly as Tony’s chin brush against them. Steve tried to grasp Tony’s head but was restricted by his shirt. He groaned in a combination of annoyance and arousal and he felt Tony grin against his skin.

Tony lowered his mouth and nudged the dog tags aside with the tip of his nose and kissed the skin beneath them. Steve’s arms twitched again but was unable to move them any closer. He seriously was considering ripping his shirt but he told himself he would not. He needed to have some control.

Tony began to press more kisses down his chest, following the crevice of his pectoral muscles until he made to his abdominal muscles. Once there, Tony’s tongue came out without any warning and licked the skin above his navel. All the muscles in his abdomen clenched and his dick twitched.

It was his tongue that drove him over the edge.

“Tony!” Steve gasped, ripping his shirt in two and digging his fingers into Tony’s scalp. He automatically thrust his hips up and pressed his erection into Tony’s chest. He was tempted to rub himself against Tony but embarrassment outweighed his arousal. He could not believe he just did that.

“T-To—,” he tried to apologize.

“Oh God, yes,” Tony gasped, interrupting him. Tony thrust his hips against Steve, pressing his own erection into Steve’s ass.

Steve threw back his head as a heated groan escaped his lips. He nearly came went he felt the heat coming off Tony’s cock. Steve had never been this turned on before. He could not believe Tony felt the same, figuratively and literally.

Tony drew away and Steve’s body instantly became cold. He dug his fingers into Tony’s sides and wrapped his legs around him, not wanting him to go. What remained of his once-best shirt hung dejectedly off his arms. Tony grinned down at him then drew off his own shirt. The light of the arc reactor was free to shine and Steve’s gaze was immediately drawn to the cerulean blue glow.

Tony followed his gaze and murmured, “Does it bother you?”

“No,” Steve whispered. “I-I just have never seen it apart from your armor.” He reached up and ran his fingertips along the rim. The arch reactor pulsated beneath his touch.

Tony took Steve’s hand from his reactor and brought the appendage up to his mouth. Steve watched breathlessly as Tony kissed the same fingers that had touched his reactor. His lips were moist and left traces of himself on his skin. Then, without any warning, Tony drew Steve’s fingers into his mouth. His hot tongue caressed his fingers and he sucked on them, hollowing his cheeks as he did.

Steve groaned, thrusting his hips into Tony again, and digging his free hand into Tony’s hips, trying to draw him closer. His mind became hazy with desire. He wanted Tony. He wanted his body. But most importantly, he wanted his tongue. _Oh, yes, he wanted his tongue everywhere._

Tony lay himself against him, pressing his body flush to Steve’s. They simultaneously groaned as their hard cocks pressed against each other. His erection strained against his trousers and made all the more sensitive to any touch and Tony was probably feeling the same in his jeans.

The arc reactor bit into the skin of Steve’s chest and vibrated with power keeping Tony alive. They both were breathing heavily with their chests heaving against each other.

Steve grasped Tony’s head and reclaimed his lips. Tony hummed with approval and slid his glorious tongue back into Steve’s mouth. Tony began to slowly hump his hips into Steve and Steve automatically met his movement with thrusts of his own.

If they kept going, Steve knew they would end up having sex and, before kissing Tony, he would have protested doing so on a first date. But now that he knew how great Tony felt all he wanted to know was how much more amazing could he could be.

Yet Steve did not get to find out.

There was a sharp clink from the window and a resounding sound from the television. He would have never thought anything of it until the alarms went off.

Metal shudders started to close over the windows, as Jarvis stated, “Sir, a projectile has breached the building.”

Tony tensed then sat up sharply. He gasped, “Was anyone hurt?!”

“No, but I am placing the tower on lockdown and informing the rest of the Avengers. The projectile entered the room you and Master Roger currently occupy. From what I can deem from my sensors and video feed, it was a single bullet.”

Tony shot off Steve and Steve stood just as sharply. He remains of his shirt fell off him without his notice.

The metal shudders clanked shut, cutting them off from the outside world. It was loud enough to wake Peter and he whined when he saw Steve was not with him in the bed.

Steve raced to his son but as he did his eyes were drawn to the television where a circular hole was cratered the middle of the screen with minute fractures spreading out from it in a halo. His gut hallowed upon seeing it.

Peter was whimpering but had yet to start crying. When Steve scooped him up Peter sighed and relaxed against him. He grasped Steve’s dog tags and clutched them tightly. He fell asleep in an instant, with his dog tags still in his grip, but Steve did not put him down. He wrapped his arms protectively around his son and ventured back into the living room.

Tony stood in the center of the room with holograms, projected from Jarvis’s cameras, in a circle around him. His chest remained bare and his skin was aglow from the light from the holograms. Tony must have undone the top button for his jeans and they hung loosely off his hips, displaying the tops of his red boxers and the tuff of hair that led down to it. Steve did not give himself time to dwell on it. The lustful desire was gone from Tony’s eyes and he stared at the projections with a hard glare.

“Jarvis is running a scan over the entire area. A whole five block, _strike_ _that_ , Jarvis let’s make it a ten block radius. We are going to find whoever did this,” Tony growled.

“Could it have been a stray bullet?” Steve asked breathlessly. This _was_ New York there were gangs and everyday citizens with access to guns. It could have been a mistake.

Tony shook his head and tapped quickly at one of the holograms. He stated, “After Loki’s attack, I reinforced the tower. I got the best of everything, including the best glass money could buy. The pentagon is actually installing it in their windows next year…no normal bullet can go through that ten inches of reinforced glass! And what are the chances, out of the hundreds of windows, that it would hit the same room we were in?!”

“Sir, after reviewing my scans, I have determined the angle of the bullet and, according to my calculations, the shooter was level with Master Roger’s apartments,” Jarvis stated.

“So he is in one of the high-rises,” Tony muttered, expanding one of the holograms. His fingers tapped furiously as he searched.

“Yes, Sir.”

Steve stayed silent, not wanting to interrupt Tony. He adjusted Peter in his hold and darkly wondered who had shot at them.

The rest of the Avengers quickly joined them.

Natasha and Clint were the first to appear.

“What’s the status?” Natasha asked, stepping in tandem with Clint into the room.

“Where’s your shirt?” Clint asked Tony, taken aback. He came to a halt but Natasha kept moving. His eyes shot to Steve and widened. He gasped, “And _your_ shirt?” Steve and Tony traded glances and Clint’s head snapped back and forth between both of them almost comically.

Steve blushed and stared at the top of Peter’s head. Thanks to his healing factor, his body was relatively unaffected with the exception of his hair being a mess. Tony, on the other hand, not only had messy hair but also his lips were red and swollen, he had a bruise beginning to form on his waist where Steve gripped him too tightly, and the telltale bulge in his loose jeans had not gone down yet. Steve self-consciously adjusted his stance. His cock was still half hard and he hoped it was not as noticeable. The archer easily read the telltale signs and gasped, “ _No way_! No way, you got to be shitting me!”

“Barton,” Natasha growled. She hovered over Tony’s shoulder and had been looking at the holograms but she sparred a moment to shoot her partner an icy glare. “Dig out the bullet. Tell us what we are dealing with.”

“ _BUT_ Cap and Stark-!” Clint gasped.

“Bullet,” Natasha hissed. “Now.”

Clint grumbled indignantly under his breath but went to do as Natasha commanded. He pulled the flat screen off the wall then withdrew a knife from its holster on his upper thigh. He dug into the wall with the knife, trying to get the bullet out.

A moment later, Thor and Bruce came scrambling out of the elevator.

“WHO DARES ATTACK US?!” Thor demanded, clutching his hammer in front of him, ready to attack wearing only a loincloth. Peter twitched awake at Thor’s exclamation and peered sleepily at the gathered company.

Bruce, wearing normal plaid pajamas, did not bother asking and rushed over to Tony. He took his place behind Tony’s other shoulder and stared at the readings as they were coming in.

“Papa?” Peter asked drowsily, “Wha’s happening?”

“Nothing, Peter,” Steve murmured gently. “Go back to sleep.”

Peter stuck his thumb in his mouth and peered at the Avengers questionably, not going to sleep like Steve had requested. Steve sighed deeply and ran his hand over Peter’s head. He murmured, “It is going to be alright, Peter.”

“I have Jarvis hacking into all the cameras in a ten block radius, looking for any sign of known criminals or someone with a weapon. We’re going to get this guy!” Tony informed the others.

“Or woman,” Natasha added dryly upon Tony’s final exclamation.

“Or woman,” Tony agreed without missing a beat.

“Got it,” Clint said, popping out the crushed remains of the bullet. “Alright, let’s see what we have here…” Clint held the crushed bullet up and said, “Right off the bat I can tell you this is an armor piercing round, long-range, and…” Clint dwindled to a stop and squinted at the bullet particularly. He looked to Steve with a troubled expression then looked to Natasha. Without him having to say a word, Natasha stepped through the holograms and took the bullet from his grasp. She examined the bullet with a frown.

“Your assumptions are correct, Barton,” she stated and clenched the bullet in her fist. She turned back to Tony and went back to where she had been standing previously. She said, “Stark, we have a suspect. We’re going to have to narrow our search and get people looking on foot as well. SHIELD will need to be contacted and the island needs to be cut off within the hour.”

“Who’s the target?” Tony hissed.

Natasha settled behind Tony with her hip jutted to the side. She looked through the holograms to Steve and held his gaze as she said, “It is Sergeant James Barnes, the Winter Soldier.” She sighed and said more pointedly to Steve, “It was Bucky, Steve.”

She threw him the remains of the bullet and he caught it. With an empty heart, he opened his palm and peered at it. He began to shake and Peter nervously rubbed his dog tags together upon feeling his father’s trembling.

On the base of the bullet was a red star, the Winter Soldier’s star.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have changed the rating from T to M.  
> Enjoy the Mature content ;D

It did not surprise Steve that no one could find even a trace of Bucky. After the fall of the helicarriers, Steve had searched high and low for him for weeks but never came across him, not even a clue…

He thought there was no animosity between him and Bucky. He thought the Winter Soldier had saved his life when he dragged him out of the Potomac…Why did he want to kill one of them? Had the constant brainwashing done something? Was he even more unhinged now?

Tony beefed up security around the Tower and the metal shudders on the floors they all lived in had not risen since the initial attack. Steve no longer took Peter outside on the balcony and his boy soon complained about wanting to go outside.

Clint and Natasha disappeared after the attack, joining SHIELD in their search for Bucky. Steve wanted to help too but everyone was adamantly opposed to it. They all believed the shot was meant for him or Tony. It could have hit Tony if he was not bent over Steve at the time.

Tony did not mind being locked away and simply worked from his workshop. He was not building anything but was constantly on his holograms, looking in his own way for Bucky.

It was after a few days into the fruitless search, Steve brought Peter and two cups of coffee down with him into the workshop. Tony was sitting at his workbench with his holograms. He had not shaved in a while and had a dark stubble growing on his jaw.

Steve gently placed his son on the ground by his play workstation then went over to Tony. He did not notice Steve until he stuck the coffee under his nose.

Tony blinked in surprise then looked up from the coffee. When he saw it was Steve he smiled warmly and said, “Hey there.”

“Hey there yourself,” Steve replied. He leaned against the counter, clutching his own coffee, and asked, “Did you sleep last night?”

Tony grinned sheepishly and said, “Nah, I had a lead last night and chased it. But it brought me nowhere…”

Steve sighed heavily and said, “I really hate when you do that, you know?”

“I’m okay, I’m used to it,” Tony replied with a shrug and took a sip from his coffee.

“Doesn’t mean it’s healthy,” Steve replied dryly and Tony chuckled.

Silence fell between them and Steve watched Tony as he drank from his coffee and halfheartedly tapped at his holograms.

“…So there are no leads on your end either?” Steve asked.

Tony sighed and said, “No…It’s like he was never there…”

Steve nodded and took a sip from his coffee. Tony turned off his holograms, placed his coffee on the counter, and motioned Steve closer. Steve complied and placed his coffee next to Tony’s before stepping up to him. His knees bumped into Tony’s and Tony gently placed his hands on Steve’s hips. Steve relaxed into his grip.

“How are you doing?” Tony asked him softly.

Steve sighed heavily and said, “Not good…I can’t believe Bucky would try to shoot me…” He reached out to Tony and drew his thumb across his cheek and whispered, “Or try to shoot you…”

“I think if he wanted one of us dead, we would be,” Tony told him. “Everything I have seen on the Winter Soldier shows that his shots never miss their target.”

“What could he hope to accomplish by shooting at nothing then?” Steve murmured unhappily. “He must have misjudged the density of the glass or shot too soon…”

“Or he really hated the resolution on that TV and wanted you to get a new one,” Tony commented, drawing a chuckle from Steve. Tony sighed contently and whispered, “I love the sound of that laugh…I hate seeing you so downcast. I don’t like that frown marring your pretty face.”

Steve chuckled again and a small smile twitched against his lips. He bent down and cupped Tony’s face. Steve drew him into a kiss. He boldly slid his tongue in and enlisted a soft moan from Tony. His mouth tasted similarly to Steve’s but his was a stronger coffee so he tasted more bitter.

Steve broke the kiss and drew back from Tony. He left his hands in his hair and kept his back bent so he could keep looking at him in the eyes. In the days since the disaster of their first date, Steve and Tony had been stealing kisses and fleeting touches in between the mayhem of the search for Bucky. Steve was tempted to throw Tony on the couch and take off where they left off and forget about the madness surrounding them. The buzzing noises from Peter's workstation was deterrent enough to stop him from doing that in front of his son.

“You’re giving me that look again,” Tony commented.

“The devouring one?” Steve asked with a chuckle.

“I love it,” Tony stated earnestly, making Steve laugh.

He regarded Tony with a small smile and studied his face. Tony always had a way to make him feel better. He was so grateful to have him in his life.

“I…never got the chance to ask you,” Steve whispered, curling his fingers into Tony’s hair. He continued, “What are we? I-I mean are we dating? Are you my boyfriend now or…?”

Or was he another conquest? His heart twisted at the thought.

Tony grinned and said, “We are definitely dating. No, we are super dating. No, we are super-duper dating! You are my boyfriend and don’t you dare let a bullet scare you! So give me that devouring look again and kiss me!”

Steve laughed and said, “Yes, sir.” He pressed his mouth into Tony’s again and Tony hummed with approval.

\---

After another week of searching, everyone gave up the hunt. Life returned to relative normalcy after that but Tony never lowered the security and kept the metal shutters on the residential floors closed. Natasha and Clint returned and Thor announced that he would delay his return to Asgard until the Winter Soldier was found.

The media frenzy died down in the meantime, though a few paparazzi camped out in front of the Tower in the off chance they would be able to catch a break. They did not know about the shooting but they still speculated about the child living with the Avengers. At every SHIELD press conference, the organization was battered with the same questions, primarily they were asked one in particular: "Was the child living with the Avengers Dr. Bruce Banner’s?" To which the answer they always received was, “No comment.”

Out of the two of them, Tony was the first to venture outside. He claimed to not be afraid and said he had several very important meetings he needed to go to. More importantly, he needed to show his face to show people he was still alive. Rumors were starting to spread that the usually charismatic billionaire had developed a deadly disease.

Steve wanted to go with him but Tony would not hear any of it. It would draw attention if Steve went with him. So Steve stayed behind and prayed to God that his best friend was not trying to kill his boyfriend.

When Tony returned to the tower, safe but annoyed with his investors, he was more than happy enough to reassure Steve by accepting Steve’s imploring touches and worried kisses.

Later, they lay together on the couch in his workshop. Tony was snoring lightly and Steve was running his hand through Tony’s thick hair. The smile he greeted Tony with was gone. His thoughts turned dark with Tony’s safe arrival.

If Bucky was really after Tony he would have shot Tony while he was out.

So Tony was not the target…

Steve was.

\---

Steve knew he could not stay cooped up forever so when he went outside the next day, he made sure to go where it would impact Bucky the most. He drove out of the Tower’s garage on his bike. Anyone who saw him leave, would know exactly who he was and he probably had a few photos snapped of him that would be in the gossip rags by tomorrow.

He drove fast and wild, making it near impossible to be shot as he traveled. Eventually, he reached his destination, the street he and Bucky grew up on in Brooklyn. It had changed drastically since he last saw it. The old brownstones, which used to house dozens of families in small apartments, were now mostly storefronts. Some of the larger buildings still had apartments on the upper levels but there seemed to be only young couples living there now. The only families who were on the street were the ones who were shopping at the quaint stores.

Steve parked his bike and walked up to the building where he and Bucky lived in together. When they lived in the building it had been crumbing and looked like it would not stand for much longer. Since then, it had been retrofitted. The building still looked fairly old but it no longer appeared it was on the verge of collapse. It was only three stories and the top two stories looked like they were apartments. The bottom floor was an Italian deli.

Steve was not wearing anything in conceal his identity, in fact, he wore a dark navy shirt with a white star, similar to his Captain America uniform. He wanted to draw attention to himself. He wanted there to be no doubt who he was.

He was drawing stares as soon as he pulled off his helmet.

Bucky might be watching him right now or was tracking him down. Steve paused before the brownstone and peered up at the building. His eyes were drawn to the single window that had been in their apartment. It was on the second story, second from the right. Back then they could not afford curtains but the current owner could and those white curtains blocked his view of the inside. Steve briefly wondered who took up residence there now and if those occupants knew of its infamous past residents.

A Latin American, middle aged woman and her son stepped out of the deli with a stuffed brown bag. With the serum, Steve’s sense of smell was extraordinary and he could scent the sandwiches they had ordered. He smelled the crisp lettuce, the ripe tomatoes, the rich sausage, fresh turkey and ham, and the various condiments sprinkled on with an odd assortment of smells. His stomach gurgled.

“Dios Mio,” the woman gasped as she recognized him and nearly dropped her bag.

“Hello,” Steve greeted her pleasantly with a small smile.

“Are you Captain America!?” Her boy gasped. His eyes twinkled with excitement and reminded Steve of Peter.

Steve nodded and said, “Yes, nice to meet you!”

“Really?! You are so awesome! C-Can I get your autograph?! Can I get a picture with you?! Mom, take our picture,” he said before Steve could answer. Steve chuckled and knelt down on a single knee as the boy took his place beside him. His mother took her phone out and snapped a few pictures.

Steve had a sharpie in his jacket, he was used to giving autographs and was always prepared. He signed the only paper available to them, a piece of the brown paper bag.

The boy excitedly chatted with Steve about the Avengers and asked him about being Captain America. Steve humored the boy and answered all his questions. In the back of his mind, he worried about Bucky and hopped he would not attack him in front of this boy. He knew if he went out in public he would be recognized and approached. It was a risk and he hoped it would not be one he regretted.

Eventually, the boy and his mother left, leaving him with thank yous and words of praise. Steve felt humbled by it. He had been treated like this hundreds of times before but he still felt like a just a regular guy from Brooklyn.

He went into the deli and ordered a large roast beef sandwich with everything on it plus a large soda, two bags of chips, and a dozen cannolis. With his metabolism, this would be enough to abate his hunger. The deli owner wanted him to take it all, free of charge, but Steve insisted on paying and even left the man with a hefty tip.

Steve took it all outside and sat at one of the tables in front of the deli. He leaned back and studied the rooftops, wondering when Bucky would appear. The streets were busy as commuters walked past to get to the nearby subway platform or to explore the local shops.

In the hour he spent there, he had a number of people ask him for an autograph or a picture. A few paparazzi somehow found him and snapped pictures of him eating from a distance. None of them approached him which he was grateful for. He did not want to deal with them.

As more time passed, Steve grew increasingly on edge. Where was Bucky? Was he unable to follow him? Or was he watching him?

When the deli closed and the sky turned red with the end of the day, Steve left Brooklyn with a heavy heart.

He did not know what to expect. In the deeper most corner of his heart, he had hoped for a joyful reunion. He had wanted Bucky to tell him the shooting had been a mistake, that he remembered everything, and that he wanted to return to Steve…Despite his wishes, he really expected to be attacked.

He took the long way back to the tower. He drove down to the Lower Bay then made his way up the coast with the Hudson River on his constant left. Despite the hour, the river was busy with ships. The docks were bustling: unloading and loading crate.

As he rode over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan, night finally settled and the city was aglow with its sparkling electric lights. Traffic was much denser as he approached the tower and he carefully weaved in and out of the trafficked vehicles. A few of the local taxi drivers, who dealt with the commuters around the Tower, recognized him and called out to or waved to him. He responded in kind, but his heart was not in it.

All he could think about was Bucky.

Maybe his old friend was unable to follow him to Brooklyn, maybe he was waiting for him at the tower…He tensed his shoulders and cranked the throttle on the gas.

When Steve reached the garage, he paused at its mouth and took off his helmet. He looked up and studied the skyscrapers around him.

 _Now’s your chance, Buc,’_ he silently thought to his wayward friend.

Photographs were shot of him by the paparazzi but the shots he waited for never came.

Why had Bucky shot that bullet into his living room? If he was not trying to kill him, what was he doing? Was he trying to send a message?

Steve bit the inside of his cheek and rode his bike into the shadows of the garage. He bypassed the Tower’s employee and visitor parking and made his way to the lower level where the Avenger’s and the larger collection of Tony’s vehicles were located.

As he pulled in, he was surprised to find a fuming Tony waiting by the elevator. Steve bypassed his parking spot and pulled up next to Tony and asked, “Are you okay?”

“Am I okay?!” Tony gasped. He lifted his hand and shoved a cell phone in Steve’s face. He explained, “You left your phone here and left without telling anyone where you were going! You have been gone for hours! I thought Barnes killed you!”

Steve guiltily took his phone and murmured, “Sorry…I forgot about it.” Some mornings he woke with a 1940s mindset and, thanks to what was happening with Bucky, this morning had been one of those mornings. He had not noticed the phone missing at all.

Tony placed his hands on the back of his neck and drew Steve’s head toward him. Their foreheads touched and Tony sighed, “I was freaking out and was about to sick SHIELD on your ass. And you are lucky Ben is visiting or Peter would be freaking out just as much as I was.”

“I’m so sorry,” he apologized again as guilt coursed through his system… He could not imagine what Tony went through. He cupped Tony’s face and kissed him deeply. He explained, “I went to Brooklyn. I went to the old apartment me and Bucky shared…I hoped Bucky would show himself if I was alone.”

Tony drew back with a frown and murmured, “Or he could have shot you.”

“He did neither,” Steve attested.

“Or he did not have a chance to,” Tony rebuked angrily.

“I gave him ample opportunity to shoot me, here in front of the Tower and in Brooklyn. He did not. He must have had a reason to shoot but it was not to kill either of us.”

“Why would you risk yourself like that??” Tony hissed, “What if he killed you? Don’t you value your life? And what about Peter? How could you do that to him? And what about me?? _Why’d you do this?_ ”

Steve dropped his head and stared guiltily at his hands. It was a hefty risk. Why’d he do it, indeed?

After a short hiatus of silence, Tony suddenly gasped, “You still love him.”

Steve’s heart clenched and his head snapped up to meet Tony’s eyes. His expression was hurt and he was shaking his head as if to deny the truth.

“Tony…” Steve gasped but he could not come up with a valid excuse.

Was that the reason he risked his life? Could he still hold a torch for his old friend?

Tony face fell when he realized Steve was not going to say anything to prove him wrong. Seeing Tony like that totally broke Steve. He got off his bike, dropped his helmet, and grabbed Tony just as he was stepping away.

Steve started talking, letting the words flow from his mouth with no abandon. He gasped, “I truthfully do not know how I feel about Bucky. I fell for him when we were teenagers and I repressed my feelings for years. I may still be repressing them.” Tony tensed in his hold and Steve spun him around and grasped his face, he hissed, “But I do know how I feel about you, Anthony Edward Stark. You make me feel like I can be true to myself. You make me feel like I can fly! When I think of us, I think of a future. And w-when I think of you I get all hot and bothered…” His last comment drew a smile from Tony like he had hoped. He blushed from the audacity of his confession and whispered, “I’m sorry I was an idiot. Please, forgive me.”

Tony sighed overdramatically and said, “I guess I can forgive you. A genius like myself is used to dealing with idiots all the time…" He paused and his expression became serious as he asked, "But if Bucky shows up tomorrow and confesses his undying love for you, are you going to leave me? Because if that’s the case I do not want to become anymore emotionally invested than I already am.” Tony kept up his bravado until the last statement when his voice quavered just a bit at the end. He cleared his throat and said, “I’m a businessman. I need to know I’m making a solid investment here. I’m no longer the blasé playboy I used to be.”

Steve saw through the swagger. Tony wasn’t lying. He no longer was a playboy. He was putting his heart on the line and entrusting it to Steve. Steve felt utterly grateful.

Playing along with Tony, Steve stated, “I advise you to go all in on this investment, Mr. Stark. I hear Rogers is a sure thing!”

Tony chuckled. He wrapped his arms behind Steve’s neck and kissed him in a way that made his toes tingle.

“Thank you, for your advice, Captain. I think I shall invest 100 percent. Now what is Rogers’ policy on making out in the elevator?”

“I think Rogers can back that,” Steve murmured and he and Tony stumbled over to the metal doors, refusing to break apart.

“Where to, Sir?” Jarvis asked as the doors closed.

“Tony’s floor,” Steve answered for him. He blushed, maybe he was moving too fast. Tony might still be mad at him. Steve stammered, “I mean…well, if that is alright?”

Tony smirked and said, “Jarvis, please ask Ben if he can spend the night. Peter’s father has been detained for the rest of the evening.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Steve shivered and he and Tony stared at each other as they awaited Ben’s response. His heart began to hammer so loudly in his chest that he feared Tony might hear it.

Spending the night with Tony. All night. Alone. His cock throbbed at the thought. He had dreamed about it and now that it might actually happen he could not help but feel nervous. Steve was a virgin and he knew Tony was not.

“Master Parker has agreed to stay and inquires where he should sleep,” Jarvis stated.

“My room,” Steve replied breathlessly, his entire body tingling with excitement and anxiety. Tony’s hazel eyes grew a shade darker as desire settled in and he licked his lips. Steve whispered pointedly to Tony, his voice on the verge of shuddering, “I won’t need the bed.”

Tony grinned and pulled Steve into another mouthwatering kiss. Steve’s heart beat faster.

He did not hear Jarvis’s, “Very Well,” nor feel the elevator as it began to rise.

All he could hear were his and Tony’s gasping breaths and all he could feel was Tony’s lush lips, Tony’s hot skin beneath his fingertips, Tony’s hands on him, Tony’s hips jutting into his, and Steve’s heart hammering at his ribs, trying to break free.

It took both of them a minute to realize the doors to the elevator had opened. In the time it took for them to reach Tony’s floor, his jacket and both of their shirts were on the ground and Tony had unbuckled Steve’s belt.

“Bed,” Tony gasped, being the first to notice. He hissed urgently, “Steve. Bed. Now. Bed. Bed. _Bed!”_

“Bed,” Steve agreed, his hands shaking. He could not believe they were finally going to do this. For all his strength, he felt helpless in Tony’s arms. Tony had dozens of partners already and Steve was totally inexperienced and was totally oblivious to the secrets of making love to a man. He had an idea about doing so with a woman, in the army it was all men seemed to talk about, but having sex with a man was something completely different. He wanted to do it but he feared disappointing Tony.

He let Tony pull him in the direction of his bedroom by his wrist. Tony did not pause for pretty words or give him another kiss. He pushed Steve onto his bed and stared at him with hungry eyes. Steve was naked only from the waist up but he felt completely naked the way Tony was looking at him. Steve’s gut churned nervously but he licked his bottom lip in eager preparation of kissing Tony everywhere: lips, neck, torso, dick, and ass. He was going to taste him in every way possible just like he always dreamed. He just hoped he would not make a fool of himself…

The door had closed behind them and blue glow from Tony’s arc reactor was the only light for them to see by. It bathed Steve in its illumination and reflected brightly in Tony’s eyes. Tony’s eyes glowed like a cat’s in the dark and made Steve feel like a mouse cornered and caught in his gaze. Tony slunk over Steve with practiced grace. He sandwiched his legs around Steve’s hips and ran his rough fingers over the skin of his abdomen until his fingers caught the top of Steve’s slacks.

“Do you have something in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” Tony asked cockily and Steve’s blush deepened. He flexed his abdominal muscles inward, hyperaware of the closeness of Tony’s hands to his penis. Tony had cupped him a few times when they made out but he never actually touched him flesh to flesh. His cock throbbed as he imagined it. His own feeble attempts at pleasuring himself probably paled in comparison to Tony’s ability.

Tony undid the inner button to his slacks then slowly slid the zipper down. As Tony did this, he dragged his free middle and ring finger down the ever expanding opening of Steve's zipper running his fingers down the curvature of Steve’s cock. Steve fisted the sheets underneath him and bit down on his lip. Tony’s touch scorched him through the thin fabric of his boxer briefs and whereas Steve was shaking Tony’s touch was sure and steady.

Once his zipper was totally down and his clothed erection was peeking out from the parting in his pants, Tony’s fingers hooked under his slacks and boxer briefs. Tony licked his lips, inhaled slowly, and met Steve’s eyes. Keeping his gaze steady and unflinching from Steve’s, Tony pulled the final layers of his clothes away, sinfully slowly.

Steve lifted his hips as Tony pulled off his clothing and kept his eyes locked with Tony’s to gather courage from him. He could not help but groan as his erection slid free. Tony’s eyes dropped to his crotch then returned to Steve’s gaze glazed with an added lust, he clearly like what he saw and Steve felt empowered by it. Tony slid Steve’s slacks and briefs down to knees and paused to kiss his inner thigh. His kisses continued downward until he reached the clothing around Steve’s knees. Once there, he slowly slid down the apparel, kissing him as he went. Steve trembled and felt mortified because he knew Tony could feel it. He flexed his fingers, not knowing what to do with them. He wanted to cover his crotch to hide his nakedness, he wanted to give into his secret wanton nature and touch himself as he watched Tony gradually strip him, and he wanted to touch Tony and make Tony feel just as turned on as Steve was. There was so much he wanted to do but he did not know how to act.

Tony eventually ran out of leg and Steve’s slacks and boxer briefs slid off feet and onto the floor. Tony quickly took off Steve’s socks leaving Steve was as bare as the day he was born.

Nude, Steve shivered as Tony stood and his gaze hungrily took in his form. He could almost feel Tony’s gaze on his skin where Tony looked, leaving behind a heated warmth on his skin similar to a blush. His unwavering gaze on his body was making him feel like he was melting.

Why was he just looking? He started to tremble, he needed Tony to touch him. Steve fisted the sheets beneath him and moaned his name, “ _Tony_.”

Tony inhaled sharply, his nostrils expanding, and gasped, “Steve. You’re a wet dream.”

Steve blushed deeply upon hearing the sincerity in his voice. He did not feel sexy he actually felt like a clumsy huge mass of muscles, uncoordinated with unsure hands strangling the sheets. He felt so exposed and huge without his clothes and Tony's eyes only added to his insecurities. Tony made no move to touch him. Steve squirmed and mumbled nonsense under his breath, trying to mask his uncomfortableness.

“What was that, lovely?” Tony whispered, his eyes were so dark that Steve could no longer tell they were hazel. Tony cupped himself through his jeans and began to lazily stroke himself. Steve’s own dick throbbed as if Tony’s phantom fingers brushed against him. He bit down on his bottom lip and focused on Tony’s eyes, hoping to escape the feeling of his phantom fingers but his eyes were worse than watching him stroke his cock. In his eyes, he could see Tony’s desire. He see Tony taking in his body, he could see his want, he could see his fantasies, and he could see the sexual prowess that promised to consume Steve whole.

“I—,” Steve began to say then flushed. He closed his eyes, unable to take the intensity of Tony’s dark eyes, and hissed, “I need you to touch me, Tony…”

Tony grinned and he purred, “Aye, Aye, Captain.”

He heard Tony’s jeans slide off and he snapped open his eyes to catch his first glance of Tony stripped bare. Tony was not wearing anything beneath his jeans. Once loosened, the jeans fell easily off his hips and he stepped out of them. His cock jutted up, long and hard with a pebble of precome leaking out of the tip. The course hair that led down to his cock was dark black whereas Steve’s was light blonde. Steve could not help but wonder if it was courser and wanted to run his fingers through it. Steve blushed at the thought and dug his fingers deeper into the sheets.

Tony stepped up to the bed and placed a single knee on the edge. Tony’s weight shifted the bed and his thigh pressed against Steve’s.

“ _Steve_ ,” Tony gasped his name like it was a fervent prayer. He grasped Steve’s legs with trembling hands and pushed his legs up and open, totally exposing Steve to him. Steve flushed as Tony positioned himself between his legs. The hard length of his erection brushed against his thigh and Steve’s gut clenched. It was so erotic with his legs spread open wide and Tony being able to see all of he felt sinfully wanton. It was wrong and right all at once. Steve was already gasping shallowly trying to catch his breath.

“T-Tony I-I n-never – I’ve never done this-,” Steve stammered, not sure if Tony knew.

Tony’s hands slid down Steve’s thighs starting at his knees and going down to his hips. He then leaned into him, his hard cock brushing Steve’s. Steve threw back his head from the velvet caress and was silenced by his overwhelming need to rut his hips into Tony.

Tony stretched his body across Steve’s and began to kiss the side of his neck.

Against his flesh, Tony murmured, “I know. I will guide you through it.” Tony kissed the side of his jaw then continued to kiss him along the jaw until he reached Steve’s lips. He planted one, sweet kiss upon his lips then looked up to Steve’s eyes. He slowly began to rock his body against Steve’s and promised with a heated voice, “I’m going to make this amazing for you.”

He captured Steve’s lips again and grabbed Steve’s cock with one of his hands.

Steve hissed as Tony’s hot hand began to stroke him. Steve automatically rutted into Tony’s hand. He instantly flushed from embarrassment from his behavior but loved it all the same. It was better than he had imagined it. Tony’s hands were calloused and smaller than Steve’s but he rubbed him in all the right ways.

Tony broke their kiss by sucking on Steve’s bottom lip and letting it go with a slight growl. He then trailed his kisses down Steve’s neck and chest. With his mouth free, Steve began to breathe heavily and groan when Tony’s thumb circled the head of his cock. He could not believe the effect Tony was having on him. He was already sweating profusely and shaking like he had been punching the punching bag all day. He was also breathing shallowly and the flush on his cheeks continued to burn. His cock never felt so hard and tenderly swollen.

Before Steve could reflect on how he should be touching Tony, Tony dipped his head and circled Steve’s nipple with the tip of his tongue. Steve’s hands immediately went flying to Tony’s scalp and he carded his fingers into his hair. Tony nipped at his hardening nipple and Steve shuddered. Tony and his nipple. Steve’s mind was blown by the combination. He never factored such a combination nor how amazing it would feel. He never thought men could feel such sensations there. Tony moved over to his other nipple and paid it just as much loving attention.

Steve all but whimpered when Tony went lower, leaving his abused nipples behind. He did not want him to stop. Tony left a trail of kisses down his torso and murmured in between them, “You’re so beautiful. _God_ , you’re perfect!” Steve’s blush grew under his praise.

Tony paused in his kisses just as he reached Steve’s waist and rubbed his face into the rough hair above his cock. His neck touched his penis and when he hummed Steve nearly came right there from the vibrations. He shuddered as the most powerful need he had ever felt ran through his system, concentrating where ever Tony touched him.

“Do you want me to devour you?” Tony asked hoarsely, Steve could feel him quivering slightly. “Shall I suck you dry? Swallow ever last drop of come? Is that what you want, Steve?”

“ _Oh_ _God_ ,” Steve gasped, Tony’s words making him shudder violently as he envisioned the suggestions.

“Is that a yes?” Tony wrapped his hand around the head of Steve’s cock and lightly nipped at the base.

“Yes,” Steve gasped, his nervousness was being obliterated by the escalating build of his rising arousal. Losing nearly all inhabitations, Steve yelled, “Yes, please, yes! Fucking please, yes! Do it Tony!”

Tony chuckled upon his curse and whispered, “If you insist.”

Tony slid his tongue up his cock from the base to the head then swallowed him whole. The breath caught in Steve’s throat. He had lost count the number of times he masturbated to the thought of another doing this to him and what he imagined was nothing close to what it really felt like. Tony’s body heat engulfed him and he slid Steve deep into his soft mouth.

Then Tony sucked.

Steve’s breath broke free from the blockage in his throat and his moan ripped through his throat. It was so loud and heated he feared the entire Tower heard.

Steve’s hips trembled as he fought to keep himself from thrusting deeper into his mouth. Desire fogged his mind and words slipped out of his mouth with abandon. He told Tony how amazing he felt, how great he was, how much he loved his tongue… He would have blushed upon how freely he spoke but at that moment it did not matter, especially when Tony started to use that tongue. As he sucked, his tongue began to move around Steve’s shaft, exploring it and totally destroying Steve’s control.

Steve thrust up into Tony, humping his face with no abandon. He knew he would not be able to control his strength and tore his hands from Tony's scalp. He dug his hands into the mattress and punctured the bed with ten finger sized holes.

“T-Tony,” he tried to warn but he could not get out any more words. His entire body shuddered as he was tipped over the edge and he came into Tony's mouth with relieved groan. Tony swallowed eagerly then released his cock with a loud pop.

Tony grinned slyly at Steve and crawled up his body. He collapsed on his chest, almost totally smothering the light from his arch reactor. Tony’s erection was hot and hard against his flaccid cock. However, Steve felt blood pooling back into his cock and every tiny movement made by Tony made his blood flow faster.

“You taste like Apple Pie and Freedom,” Tony murmured.

Steve laughed with unadulterated mirth and wrapped his arms around Tony. Bits of mattress stuck to his fingers and floated around them. Tony eyed the bits of his mattress with an amused grin. He plucked one mothball off Steve and blew on it lightly, sending it flying from his hand.

“You were amazing,” Steve told him with a light squeeze. Steve blushed and dropped his eyes. He whispered, “I wish I could have done more for you…”

“We’re not done yet, lover boy,” Tony chuckled. “And don’t think you did nothing for me…Being able to hold you like this and touch you like this…” Tony flexed his hips, rubbing his erection into Steve’s penis, making Steve moan. Tony bit down on his lip and huffed, “This is the stuff of dreams and we haven’t even gotten to the fun part yet.”

Steve embraced Tony a little tighter. Tony lay his cheek against Steve chest and stared up at him tenderly. Tony’s hair was mussed from Steve’s attentions and his lips were swollen red from his countless kisses. His face was serene and relaxed like he had never seen before. Even working on his machines, Tony never looked this content. It made Steve feel special.

“Are you getting hard already?” Tony gasped suddenly when he felt Steve’s dick rising again. He pushed himself up to his elbows, freeing the light from his arc reactor and looked down to confirm.

“S-Sorry?” Steve gasped suddenly feeling shameful. “It felt amazing, Tony. I swear.”

“Don’t apologize, Steve,” Tony gasped. “This is the last thing you should be apologizing for!” Then more silently to himself, Tony murmured, “Thank God for the serum.”

Tony reached over him to the bedside table. He opened the top drawer and withdrew a bottle.

“So let’s dive in…Do you know about lube or any of the basics of sex between men?” Tony asked as he popped open the bottle.

“No,” Steve whispered, eyeing the bottle with confusion. He did not know whether to feel excited or scared.

Tony chuckled and said, “No worries. First off, do you want to fuck me or shall I fuck you? I’m fine either way.”

Steve sputtered and blushed deeply as his fantasies ran wild. Truth be told, he wanted both. Whenever he masturbated it was done imagining thrusting into another but he also imagined the sensation of being taken in turn.

Tony rubbed his erection against Steve’s half hard cock and teased, “Make a decision or I will come all over you. And you will have to wait a while until I get it back up again.”

Steve moaned at the image that came to mind.

“Please, Tony,” he gasped. “T-Tony I-I want you-.”

“Want me to do what?” Tony murmured with a light groan as he continued to rub himself against Steve. Steve could not think clearly with all the blood rushing from his head. He was not in total control right now which could mean danger to Tony if Steve did not keep his strength in check. If Steve topped, he might literally rip his boyfriend in two and that was something he would very much like to prevent... So, in the end, it was easy for him to decide how to lose his virginity.

“D-Do me,” he whispered, his blush grew so large that it stretched from his cheeks and down his neck.

Tony hummed in agreement then stopped rubbing his cock against Steve’s as he pulled back. He slowly trailed kisses down his thighs and murmured, "It'll be easier on you if I take you from behind. You should turn around."

Steve blinked in surprise then said, "...But then I won't be able to see you."

He wanted to see Tony's face as they made love. It... just did not seem right not being able to see his pleasure as they were together.

"I mean... we can do it the other way, but its going to be tougher on you, Steve..." Tony stated and his lips paused in their kisses as Tony gave Steve his total attention. He whispered, "I want everything to be perfect tonight. I don't want to hurt you anymore than I have to..."

Steve smiled warmly at his boyfriend and murmured, "I think I will be more upset about not seeing your eyes as you enter me than whatever aches I might get from it."

Those eyes he was talking about flashed with a sudden surge of lust and Tony bit playfully into his flesh.

Tony whispered, “Very well...I need to prepare you.” Before Steve could question what he meant, Tony poured some of the liquid from the open bottle on his hand then plunged a finger inside Steve.

Steve instantly fisted the mattress, digging his fingers deeper inside the mattress as Tony’s finger stretched him and touched him where he never been touched before.

Tony twirled his finger around, brushing against his sensitive insides. Steve was mumbling nonsense and thrusting into Tony’s touch. He did not think it could get any better but Tony proved him wrong when he added a second finger.

“ _Tony_ ,” Steve pleaded, for what he did not know. Tony thrust his fingers in and out of him a few times, making Steve writhe underneath him. He kept hitting that one spot which made him writhe and he grinned victoriously at Steve as he hit it again and again.

When Tony added a third finger, Steve threw back his head let out a moaning scream.

“God, Steve,” Tony gasped. With his free hand, he tightly gripped his thigh and sloppily kissed the inside of his leg and gasped, “You’re going to make me come if you keep making noises like that.”

He thrust his fingers into him a few more times then added a forth. Steve thrust fervently into Tony’s hand, wanting more.

Tony pulled out his hand and Steve moaned from the absence. He was about to beg for him to return them until he saw Tony pouring the lube on his cock. He grasped his cock then positioned himself at Steve’s entrance. He looked up and saw Steve watching him.

“Would you like to hold a ceremony? You are about to lose your virginity,” Tony teased.

“Tonyyyy,” Steve groaned.

“Moving on,” Tony said then groaned as he pushed himself slowly inside. Steve tensed as pain and pleasure hit him all at once. Tony dug his fingers into his thighs and grunted, “Relax, relax Steve.”

Steve inhaled deeply and willed himself to do as Tony requested. Tony entered deeper than Steve ever thought possible and stretched him more than his fingers ever could. Steve bit down on his lip and groaned deeply as the sensation shook his system.

It hurt but, God, it felt so amazing that he barely paid attention to the pain. Once he was fully sheathed, Tony stopped moving to let Steve adjust to his presence.

“Move,” Steve commanded after several seconds of motionlessness. Steve clenched his muscles around Tony’s cock and Tony dropped his head with a loud moan. He needed friction. This immobility made him squirm with discomfort. When Tony did nothing Steve growled, “Move, Goddamnit!!”

“I love it when you fucking curse,” Tony hissed then pulled himself out partially and thrust back into Steve. Steve threw his head back with a mighty moan and ripped a baseball sized chunk out of the mattress.

Tony began to rhythmically hump Steve. The friction of his cock sent indescribable waves of pleasure throughout Steve’s body.

Tony lifted Steve’s legs over his shoulders and picked up his hips, plunging deeper into him. Tony’s finger dug into the flesh of Steve’s ass and gasped, “Yes. You’re amazing. God, you feel so good. Ahh, yes, Steve. Steve, don’t stop.”

Steve began to rise his hips to meet Tony’s thrusts, his hands were digging deeper into the mattress. Tony’s fingers clasped his ass harder, probably leaving bruises. His goatee scratched his inner thigh as Tony sucked and kissed him the flesh of his leg. When his tongue flicked out to taste Steve’s flesh, Steve knew he needed that tongue in his mouth now.

“Kiss me,” Steve hissed. He needed that tongue, that glorious tongue.

Tony push Steve’s legs off his shoulders and Steve wrapped them around his torso, digging his heels into Tony’s ass. Still thrusting, Tony leaned over him and did as Steve asked, kissing him. His tongue speared itself into Steve’s mouth and Steve greedily sucked on it to keep it in. Tony obliged with a moan. He kept his hands on Steve’s ass, pulling him up to meet his every thrust. Tony’s tongue began to mimic his cock’s thrusts, plunging in and out of his mouth.

Steve only broke from Tony’s mouth when it became too much. His entire body tensed and Steve came, rising into Tony’s thrust one last time.

Tony kept humping him and Steve twitched with him weakly until he came too. Tony fell on his chest and, after a pause, grasped his dog tags tightly like Peter, and lightly kissed the engraved metal.

Steve kissed the top of Tony’s head and Tony sighed his name, “ _Steve_ …” Tony’s voice was layered with so much comfort and adoration that, at that moment, Steve knew without a doubt he loved his best friend. He loved Tony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go for Part 2!  
> Seems like we have a superfamily in the making... what could possibly prevent it?  
> >:)
> 
> Last chapter will be posted next Thursday!


	7. Chapter 7

Steve woke later than his usual time. He knew this because the sunlight that filtered through the metal blinds was bright and not muted like it was in the predawn hours.

He only puzzled over the light for a few seconds because, in those few seconds, he was able to realize the warm body next to him was not Peter’s small form.

Tony was nestled into his side. His head lay on his chest and Steve’s arm was wrapped protectively across his back. Tony had hooked his leg around Steve’s and had drawn it between his legs. He could not believe it but Tony had a hard-on pressed against his thigh.

Steve smirked as he thought back to the night prior. Both of them had gone a few rounds, collapsed from exhaustion, and fell asleep almost instantly.

Steve stared down at Tony’s tranquil, sleeping face. His hair was mussed and his goatee was hilariously pointed and disheveled. He had never seen him look so relaxed and he loved it. Lines seemed to have disappeared from his face and Steve gently reached out and traced where they should have been. He tried to ingrain this side of Tony into his memory so he could sketch it later.

Tony woke under his touch. He scrunched his nose then beadily opened his eyes. His gaze did not seem to focus on him until he blinked a few times.

“Good morning,” Steve murmured, kissing Tony lightly on the forehead.

Tony peered at him questionably then twitched against Steve as if shocked. Tony cautiously touched the arm wrapped around him then slowly ran his hand down Steve’s side before finally clapping his ass.

“Holy shit, it was not a dream,” Tony gasped, his hand continued to grope Steve’s behind as if he was making sure it was real. Steve blushed as he remembered Tony praising and fondling his ass all last night. The man seemed to have an unhealthy obsession with his posterior…not that Steve minded…

Steve smothered a chuckle upon Tony’s question and said, “No, it wasn’t.”

Tony rubbed his erection into Steve’s thigh and murmured, “You down for a quickie?”

“Well since you worded it so elegantly,” Steve replied sarcastically.

Tony lifted himself with a grunt and threw himself over Steve. He jutted out his bottom lip and whined, “Quickie! Quickie! Quickie!”

Steve laughed and Tony smothered it with a kiss.

Steve’s laughter swiftly turned into passionate moans as Tony’s tongue slid into his mouth and his fingers expertly touched him in all the right places.

Their quickie turned into another two rounds. Afterwards, they dressed each other between frantic kisses. They made their way to the communal kitchen without breaking connection, their hands always on each other one way or another.

Everyone was in the community room when they got there.

Natasha sat on the end of the counter sipping on some tea and reading the newspaper. She merely glanced up at them before returning to her article.

Bruce was making a sandwich for lunch. He looked up when they entered then looked quickly down with a slight blush.

Peter sat in his new high chair with Ben sitting in front of him. Cheerios were spread out across the tray in front of him and he and Ben seemed to be playing a game with them. Ben also looked up when they entered and smirked to himself before turning his attention back to Peter.

Clint had commandeered the TV again and Thor sat with him. They were watching one of the Star Wars episodes and Thor was loudly commenting on the miraculous feats of the great and wise warrior Yoda but paused when he saw Steve and Tony.

“Good morrow, comrades!” Thor greeted, the only one who seemed oblivious to the knowing air in the room. Steve was flushing under the others stares and felt mortified by the fact that Ben was still there. It was one thing to confess his homosexuality to him, it was a whole other to shove it in his face.

Clint was strangely silent and watching them walk with a clinical eye but he suddenly ginned.

“Tony isn’t limping! Tony fucked Steve,” Clint announced victoriously. “I win! Natasha pay up!”

“Clint!?” Steve all but shrieked and Thor laughed, clapping Clint on the back for his banter.

Tony laughed and asked, “Why wasn’t I in on this bet?!”

Steve groaned at Tony’s question and as he imagined the conversation between Clint and Natasha about their “bet.”

“Papa!” Peter gasped, just noticing him.

Steve pulled away from Tony shooting his boyfriend an annoyed glare then descended on his son with smile. Behind him, Bruce and his sandwich slinked out of the kitchen and took refuge next to Natasha at the counter.

“Hi, Petey,” he greeted the toddler warmly.

“Where were you?” Peter asked, his sentence only containing a slight hint of the infantile accent he had when Steve first met him. He still messed up on words but more sounds were becoming easier to him. When he first came across him he used to pronounce “you” as “shu.”

He ran his fingers through Peter’s thick hair. It was longer too. He needed a haircut.

As he thought on it, he realized months had passed since they’d move into the Tower. Peter’s third birthday would be in another two months. His boy was growing up.

“I was hanging out with Uncle Tony. Did you miss me?” Steve answered Peter’s question fondly.

“Uh huh,” Peter said, nodding as he put another Cheerio in his mouth.

“But you had fun with Uncle Ben?”

“Yah!” Peter said, presenting Ben his dazzling smile.

Steve affectionately rubbed Peter’s head as he straightened then went over to the kitchen to prepare him and Tony some food. When Steve went to greet his son, Tony went straight to the coffee pot and was already inhaling the liquid from a mug.

“Slow down,” Steve murmured, bumping him with his elbow as he walked by.

“Eat me,” Tony mumbled into the mug. His mouth suddenly broke away from the cup with a smile and he chuckled, “Oh wait, you already did.”

“ _And so it begins_ ,” Clint groaned darkly with an overly exaggerated sigh. Bruce chuckled into his sandwich and Natasha’s mouth quirked to the side slightly. Thor grinned at Clint and looked on the verge of laughing again.

“Can we please not start throwing around the F word around again?” Steve asked, flushing slightly from Tony’s comment yet he did not push Tony away as he leaned into his side. He was surprised Peter was not cussing already the amount Clint did it.

“No promises,” Clint replied but Steve took it him saying he will try since he did not use any expletives.

Steve made himself, Tony, and, Thor (after asking the team if they wanted any) BLT sandwiches. Several pounds of bacon later, all three men were full.

Thor praised the bacon beast and wanted to get a hunting party together to find it. Tony was trying to explain they could not hunt for the domestic pig but got a glint in his eyes as he began to talk about the wild pigs in the southern part of the country. Steve ignored their conversation and hoped nothing ridiculous will come of it.

Natasha had finished her tea and the newspaper since then and returned to her quarters to go through some reports. Bruce also finished and returned to his lab, muttering something about gestation periods. Clint was back on the couch, with his feet on the coffee table, and his hands twisting all over the video game controller. On the television screen his soldier was shooting at zombies.

After he finished loading the dishes in the washer, Steve picked up his son and they walked Ben downstairs to the garage.

“Thank you again for staying the night,” Steve said, somewhat embarrassed.

“We all need a night off once and awhile,” Ben replied.

Happy pulled up in Ben’s car and parked it in front of them.

“Good Afternoon, Mr. Parker, Mr. Rogers,” Happy said, nodding to them both.

“Hello Happy,” both Ben and Steve replied simultaneously then grinned at each other. Happy nodded and stepped away to give them some privacy.

“Can May and I drop by this weekend?”

“Of course,” Steve replied. “Maybe we’ll sneak past those reporters and have a picnic.”

“Sounds great,” Ben said with a wide smile. He opened his door and waved. “Bye, Steve. Bye, Peter.”

“Bye, Uncle Ben!” Steve said and Peter perked up as he realized Ben was leaving.

“Byeeee,” Peter called. After Ben climbed in to the car and drove away, Peter asked, “Where is Unca Ben going?”

“Home,” Steve replied.

“Dis isn’t his home?”

“No, it’s ours,” Steve said.

“He lives outside,” Peter stated with sudden understanding. He jutted out his bottom lip and mumbled, “I miss outside…”

Steve’s heart went out to him but was suddenly inspired.

“How about you, me, and Uncle Tony go to the park?” They did not need to wait for the weekend to go with Ben and May.

Peter’s face lit up and he excitedly gasped, “Yah!”

\---

Escaping the Tower, without notice of the paparazzi, had been anticlimactic. Tony had a secret tunnel in his an underground garage which opened up in a neighboring parking garage across the street. It was the same one Ben used every time he visited.

Happy drove them in a Bentley with tinted windows and dropped them off at the park. He would come to pick them up when Tony called him.

Tony’s hand was warm in his as they walked through Central Park. His grasp found Steve’s easily enough, more so by the fact Steve made sure to hold Peter with one hand and kept his free hand by Tony. Tony grasped his hand quickly and, as he did, grinned up at Steve like a child who had found his favorite toy.

They walked around the park until they came across a sandpit for Peter to play in. Steve only let Peter play because, at that hour, many children were still in school. He kept an eye on his son either way and not just to make sure he hurt none of the other children. Peter went straight to working on the daunting task of trying to build a giant mound of sand.

Steve and Tony sat nearby on a bench. Steve wore his usual glasses and baseball cap and Tony wore designer glasses, his hair slicked back, and a fake beard.

“You are utterly insane,” Steve mumbled as he caught sight of the beard again. It was as well made one and probably was made by the same people who created movie props. Tony, of course, just happened to have it lying around. Tony grinned, his fake beard raised with his cheeks.

“My insanity is what attracted you to me, admit it,” Tony stated with a cocky grin.

“That and the Iron Man suit,” Steve joked, making Tony laugh. Steve continued, “But seriously, I am not going to kiss you in that.”

“If Peter were not here I would ravish you for just suggesting that,” Tony murmured flirtatiously. Steve smirked and his eyes trailed down Tony’s throat to where a dark hickey was forming. He licked his lips, wanting to put his mouth back on Tony’s flesh. Instead, he raised Tony’s hand with his and brushed his lips against his flesh there.

Tony flushed then cleared his throat. He said, “Hem, Cap, you’re giving me that look again.”

“The devouring one?” Steve mumbled against the back of Tony’s hand. He kissed his hand again, his tongue shooting out for one quick taste.

“Yessssssss,” Tony droned staring at his hand in Steve’s grasp. All the good humor had escaped Tony and it seemed as if he was struggling to function.

“Did I just break you?” Steve asked with a chuckle.

“Reboot in progress,” Tony replied and Steve laughed, dropping their entangled hands.

Before their hands fell all the way, Tony pulled their hands to his mouth. Steve held his breath as Tony kissed his hand. The first was similar to Steve’s and chaste. The second, Tony opened his mouth and raked his teeth against his skin then his tongue unexpectedly flicked out and tasted his skin. Steve shivered as he was reminded of the last night and tightened his hand in Tony’s grasp.

“I’m going to enjoy showing you how to properly consume a person, Captain,” Tony murmured against his flesh. His words were filed with promise and excitement. It made Steve’s gut clench with want. He was eager to get back to the tower and receive Tony’s lessons.

“I can’t wait,” Steve replied breathlessly, making Tony smirk.

Tony dropped their hands then leaned heavily into Steve with a pleased grin, melding his body to Steve’s side. Steve instantly relaxed into him and lay his head on top of Tony’s.

Steve’s eyes searched for Peter and he found him right where he left him, only this time he had a larger mound of sand in front of him.

“When are you going to let him play with kids his own age?” Tony asked, knowing exactly where Steve was looking.

Steve bit the inside of his cheek upon Tony’s question. It was a question he had been asking himself ever since Peter came into his life. He wanted his son to have a normal life but the cold-hard truth was, his son was not normal. He could easily kill a grown adult with his strength. Children were more fragile and if Peter became upset with them Steve was afraid what he would be capable of.

Luckily, Peter began to cry so Steve did not have to answer the troubling question Tony gave him. Tony released his hand and Steve shot him a small smile before shooting to his feet and running over to his son.

“Did you get sand in your eye?” Steve murmured soothingly as he knelt beside Peter.

Peter was wailing like he had when Loki held him and Steve instantly became alarmed. Tears were flowing down his red cheeks and Peter clutched his head. He gasped, “I don’ wanna be hurted. I don’ wanna be hurted!”

Steve picked up is son to comfort him and a millisecond later pain flared on the back of his arm and shoulder that held Peter. If Steve had not reached out to him Peter would have been hit. Steve fell forward and cradled Peter to his chest in a protective cocoon of his arms.

“Papa?” Peter gasped, his tears came to an immediate halt as soon as Steve absorbed the hurt meant for him.

“STEVE?!” Tony gasped. He heard the scrape of Tony’s shoes as he rushed over to him then he heard Tony gasp into his communicator, “The Captain is down! Jarvis send me a suit!”

The communicator in Steve's ear repeated the frantic message as did the rest of the team’s communicators miles away. The Avengers would be with them soon.

Steve turned stiffly to see who tried to attack his defenseless son.

The park was in an uproar as soon as the gunshots rang out and people ran from the area screaming. Police sirens could already be heard echoing off the tall skyscrapers around the park. One figure stood out among all the scrambling others and Steve knew this man to be Peter’s would-be murderer.

He was half expecting to see Bucky but it was an older man in a combat military uniform. He had a white crew cut and a thick white mustache. He pointed an AK-47 at Steve, smoke was rising from the barrel. Staring down the barrel, the rounds from the machine gun burned all the more painfully in Steve’s shoulder and arm. The older man’s eyes were mad with rage and his teeth were clenched in a snarl.

“General Ross?!” Tony hissed as he recognized the man. He knelt next to Steve and grabbed him as if to lift him up. Steve maneuvered Peter between them and out of the General’s sight. Ross moved his gun with Peter and Tony gasped, “What are you doing??”

The older man came to a stop a few feet away and raised his gun as he gritted, “Get out of the way, Stark! You too, Captain! I have to kill Banner’s abomination before it matures!”

Steve shoved Peter behind him. After needing his shield when Loki took Peter, he had asked Tony to make him a wristband to call the shield to him, it was similar the ones Tony had that called his suit to him. He pressed the button and it bleeped in confirmation. He prayed it would be there soon.

In the meantime, he could only use his body and words to shield his son. He had no idea who the General was but he seemed to have an unnatural hatred toward Bruce and that hatred had moved onto the boy he believed Bruce’s son.

“This boy is not Dr. Banner’s son, sir,” Steve gasped. He cautiously raised his hands, his right side throbbed as he lifted the bullet ridden limb. He pushed himself up to his knees with his arms still held up in compliance. “He is _my_ son. Peter is my son, not Banner’s.”

“You’re lying,” the General growled, raising his gun higher, pointing it directly between his eyes. “My sensors led me right to him. He has the same gamma-radiation in his blood as Banner. You cannot save his son with false words! As soon as I heard he had spawned a child I came straight here and waited for one of you to bring him out of the safety of your tower fortress! The Hulk is already a curse on this world. His offspring will only bring about the _end_ of the world!”

Peter started to cry again and Ross shot at Steve’s legs, where Peter had been hidden from him. Steve immediately acted upon Peter’s wail and spun around, snatching Peter and pushing Tony from his side. Sand exploded where they all had been a moment earlier as Ross unloaded the rest of his clip into the spot.

Steve’s eyes stayed on Tony only long enough to see him skid to a stop. Tony had not been expecting the move so Steve was not surprised to see a look of shock strewn across his face and half his fake beard fall off.

Steve rolled, encasing Peter between his arms and chest. Peter wailed in terror and gripped his chest tightly. Steve landed on his right shoulder and screamed as he hit his wounds. His vision blurred and a watery figure walked up to them.

“Don’ hurted us!” Peter screeched.

Steve cupped the side of Peter’s face and watched in horror and fascination as a cut on his son’s cheek healed itself before his eyes. Steve did not have time to reflect upon his son’s new power because he heard the General step up to them.

Steve went to push himself away from the approaching figure but his legs collapsed underneath him and pain shot up his limbs. Steve looked down to see blood flowing from more gunshots to his shins. The General must have hit him when he jumped away and the vast amounts of adrenaline pumping through his system had blocked the pain.

Ross’s shadow passed over Steve and he clutched Peter closer to his chest and twisted his body to block him from the man’s sight.

“Move, Captain,” Ross growled.

“You’re going to have to kill me too,” Steve hissed.

Ross raised the gun and pointed it at Steve’s head. He said, “To save the world, I am willing to do anything, even kill an American Icon.”

“Jarvis!” Tony yelled. Distracted by Tony’s sudden call, both Steve and Ross turned toward Tony’s voice. They had both forgotten he was there.

The Iron Man suit flew into view, over the treetops and Tony. It did not pause to pick up Tony but flew straight at Ross. Ross grunted as the suit impacted him and propelled them both several yards away from Steve and Peter.

Tony ran to his side and gasped, “Christ, Steve, you’re riddled with holes!”

“Is Jarvis piloting the suit?” Steve asked, gritting his teeth as he pushed himself up.

“Yes,” Tony gasped as he helped Steve up.

“Take Peter,” Steve hissed. He started to pull his son from his chest but Peter latched on tighter and screeched.

“No, Papa! Don’ wanna be hurted! Papa, nooooo!”

“Pete –,” Steve started to cajole.

There was a loud electrical buzz and the Iron Man suit went flying past them.

“Crap, he has an EMP!” Tony hissed.

“Take Peter now!” Steve yelled, tearing Peter off him. His shirt tore but he did not notice as Ross came running toward them. He shoved Peter into Tony’s arms and screamed, “RUN!”

His wristband began to beep and Steve stumbled to his feet, swaying on his damaged legs. His shield would be there any second. He just hoped he would get it in time. Behind him, Tony did as he instructed and ran away with Peter, his son’s cries pierced his heart but hardened his resolve.

“General!” Steve yelled, diverting Ross’s attention from Peter. “You have to get past me to get to my son!”

The General smirked, taking in Steve’s bloody appearance and said, “A short distraction.”

He heard the whistle of his shield blasting through the air and he raise the fist with the wristband. Not a moment later did his shield slam onto his arm, locking in place. The rockets that brought it clipped off and Steve drew the shield in front of him.

“You took be by surprise before, that won’t happen again,” Steve growled.

The General’s eyes narrowed and, for a second, Steve saw unease filter across his features. Then the General’s eyes flickered back to Tony’s retreating form and he smirked.

Ross pointed his gun away from Steve and to the two most important people in his life.

The world around them seemed to slow down but Steve’s mind remained quick. He knew what the General was going to do. Ross pulled the trigger and Steve threw his shield.

The bullets bounced off his Vibranium shield, saving their lives. Steve exhaled heavily. He had stopped the bullets just in time. The shield flew far but was beginning to come arching back to him and Ross growled, “You got in the way for the last time.”

The General pointed his gun at Steve just as he raised his fist to catch the shield.

The shield was too far, it was not going to reach him in time.

Everything slowed again. The shield seemed to float slowly toward him and Ross appeared to leisurely raise his machinegun. Steve felt remorse, not for his own lost life, but for not being able to see Peter grow up or truly grow into the budding relationship between him and Tony or seeing recognition finally dawn in Bucky’s eyes. He closed his eyes and prayed his death would be enough of a distraction that Tony and Peter would get away.

The bang of the gun made Steve flinch but when he felt no pain he cautiously opened his eyes. General Ross was on the ground, blood was beginning to blossom from the center of his back.

Steve caught his shield a second later then collapsed first to his knees then onto his back. Steve lightly touched the communicator in his ear and gasped, “Great shot, Clint.” He fell onto his back with a groan, clutching the shield to his chest.

“Captain,” Natasha called over the communicator. “Cap, do you copy?”

“I’m here,” Steve whispered wearily.

“Cap, we’re two minutes from your location. Whatever shot you are talking about was not ours,” Natasha informed him.

There was a crunch of sand and the sudden casting of a shadow over his body. Steve tensed. The figure stood in front of the sun, totally eclipsing his features from Steve. For all he knew, this man was another enemy looking to kill him or Peter.

Yet the figure bent down beside Steve and he immediately recognized his savior.

“B-Bucky?!” Steve gasped. He went to sit up but Bucky placed his hand on Steve’s chest. Steve tensed. Was Bucky here to finish what he started weeks prior?

“Don’t move,” Bucky whispered, his voice was harsh like he was not used to using it. Steve’s jaw dropped as Bucky murmured, “You lost too much blood.”

Bucky was not here to kill him? He was concerned for him??

“What are you doing here? Where have you been??” Steve grabbed his arm and gasped, “I looked everywhere for you!”

Bucky grasped the side of Steve’s face and whispered, “I was always behind you, always watching.” Bucky crouched over Steve and grabbed his jaw tightly and hissed, “I could not let that bastard kill you. _You are mine_.”

Then, without any warning, Bucky mashed his lips against Steve’s.

Steve tensed, his thoughts ran wild and confused, questioning loops.

Bucky pulled back, his lips slightly red from Steve’s, attesting to what he just did. He hissed, “Don’t look for me.”

Bucky jumped to his feet and ran back into the shadows of the nearby trees.

Steve sat up sharply and called, “Bucky?!”

But the Winter Soldier was gone, leaving Steve behind with bruised lips and chaotic emotions.

Steve slowly drew his hand up then, with a bewildered expression, touched his lips.

His heart flipped in his chest and the all too familiar feeling of attraction ran fervently through his blood. It was a familiar feeling he never thought he would feel again toward Bucky. It was that familiar feeling he had shared with Tony…

Steve clutched his chest as he remembered the promise he made to Tony about never leaving him for Bucky. It was now tainted by a newfound regret for making it.

Steve instantly was angry at himself for even considering it. He cared for Tony, no, he _loved_ him! Tony made him a better man, he made Steve be true to himself, he made him feel things he never thought he could feel, he was one of the best things to happen to Steve since he woke from the ice!

…But the feeling did not go away and he could not deny that it was there. That familiar feeling, that attraction that he had smothered towards Bucky, was still there and it could be stronger than the one he felt for Tony…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, I just did that. 
> 
> And yes there is going to be a Part 3 to the series, which will be all about Steve, Bucky, and Tony! 
> 
> Part 3 is going to be coming out much more slowly than Part 2! So sorry!! I have a lot of work to do on top of writing! DX 
> 
> Also I have not decided on how I am going to end Part 3 yet... Is Steve going to end up with Tony or Bucky? Let me know what you think in the comments! :D
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has been following this series from the beginning and thank you for the kudos and comments! 
> 
> <3
> 
> UPDATE: Holy cow, the people have spoken! :o
> 
> Truth be told I already decided the ending to Part 3 and just asked to see your opinions of what could happen and my oh my, are y'all verbal!  
> Steve and Tony will end up together (and sorry there are going to be absolutely no threesomes or any sort of love between Bucky and Tony).  
> The description of my overall series is simply "Building a Superfamily is never easy..." which I take to heart in my writing. I know some of you are upset but I did not want to write a "and then they feel in love and lived happily ever after fic." There are bumps in every relationship and Steve and Tony are going to go over a big one. I wanted to not just explore my writing but,mostly, I wanted explore the person Steve Rogers.  
> He is human. He makes mistakes.  
> I have read countless fics where he can do no wrong and it is Tony that is the one who creates drama or has doubts about their relationship. This is also why I made Peter Steve's son as well, because, Tony is also usually the father and Peter is born from an affair. This is a new realm I'm exploring and is going to be a difficult trek.  
> I know some of you are upset by the ending with Bucky. I reiterate, Steve's human. Since Part 1 I have been eluding to his smothered feelings for Bucky, long before he even thought of Tony any differently than just a friend. I am sorry it upset you and all I can say I have learned my lesson. I wanted the ending to be a surprise but from now on I will tag my fics appropriately.  
> As I stated before, Steve and Tony will end up together but Steve needs to hash out what these news feelings. Yes, there is going to be hurt on all sides, yes there is going to be betrayal, and yes there is going to be soooo much angst BUT it needs to be done, otherwise years down the line Steve will think "What if..." and I don't want that. 
> 
> Thank you for your comments, concerns, and true feelings on the matter. I take them to heart and they help mold my writing. The first chapter to Part 3 will posted in a few days and I hope everyone enjoys it just as much as the rest of the series...  
> Thanks again


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